El Paso County dealing with second muddy gravel road situation in two years

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Cooper Grove has become the second gravel road in Black Forest since 2024 to have issues with being muddy and slippery in wet weather.

Neighbors on the road, which is at the intersection of Black Forest Road and just south of the Douglas County line, contacted KRDO 13's The Road Warrior about the matter.

They say the problem began when the county sprayed what they believe was a chemical on the road, with no explanation of what it was or why it was applied.

Since then, neighbors said that during wet weather, at least three vehicles slid off the road, became stuck, and had to be towed.

Neighbors said that they've received an unsatisfactory response from county officials.

The Road Warrior spoke with a county representative who explained that it was water, not a chemical, that crews sprayed while applying new gravel on the road last fall.

After receiving three complaints from residents about the road's condition, the county began to evaluate it and even briefly considered closing it.

The county continues to evaluate the road's condition to determine a possible solution.

As for paving the road with asphalt, the county said that it isn't feasible because the road doesn't have enough traffic.

Paving, however, was the solution for a similar road issue last year -- on Glider Loop, just south of Black Forest.

Neighbors complained that the road was muddy and slick after crews applied new gravel; officials couldn't determine why, other than to say that some gravel roads across the county respond differently to moisture.