Viewer raises concern about street conditions on west side of Colorado Springs; City officials respond

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — John Wei lives in the Pinecliff neighborhood north of the Interstate 25/Garden of the Gods Road interchange, and recently contacted The Road Warrior about what he believes is a safety concern in the area.

Wei said that the situation is gradually worsening around the three-way intersection of Rusina Road, Popes Valley Drive, and Tech Center Drive.

There are no curbs, gutters, or paved shoulders along the streets, and a relatively steep drop-off — possibly caused by erosion and/or poor drainage — has developed along the pavement.

Wei is concerned that in rainy, snowy, or icy conditions, drivers have traveled off the street and onto the unpaved shoulders — which vary in width — because people can't see the drop-off.

A traffic light at the intersection provides some illumination, however.

"They're not potholes, but they (drop-offs) can cause the same kind of alignment issues if you hit them," he said.

Wei said that he contacted the city last May about the situation and was told that it would be addressed, but nothing has happened yet, and it appears no action is forthcoming.

On Wednesday, a city spokesman responded to the situation, saying that the city's Stormwater Department is aware of the matter and has considered making improvements there.

However, those improvements are expensive, and another complication is that the land along and around the intersection is privately owned.

The expense of improvements there is likely why the area west of I-25 hasn't been developed, and the city would require any development plan to include those upgrades.

A stormwater system exists at the upper end of Tech Center Drive, but it ends north of the three-way intersection.