Resident warns of failing culvert on County Road 23; road superintendent says temporary patches will be applied, permanent repairs planned

A resident told the Ouray County Board of County Commissioners on July 8 that a deteriorating culvert and six‑to‑eight‑inch holes at the County Road 23/County Road 550 entrance are creating a safety hazard and risking delayed emergency access.

"The holes collect water, forcing drivers to swerve to avoid oncoming traffic," said Chase Philip Randazzo, identifying himself as a homeowner in the Elder Wilde Subdivision. He said the entrance also serves a KOA campground, quarry trucks and is a primary evacuation route for hundreds of homes.

The concern prompted questions for Road and Bridge Superintendent Ty Barger, who addressed the item later in the meeting during his monthly update. Barger said crews will apply additional mastic patch material to the persistent defects this year "to buy us some time" and that those segments are being programmed for permanent repair "next year pending availability of funds." He said the county has used the more costly mastic product because it outlasts standard hot‑mix patches in high‑stress locations.

"We will install some more patch material as we did last year to buy us some time until we're able to program those road segments for permanent repair," Barger said. He added that a prior patch had settled because it was not properly compacted and that the culvert itself is not currently sinking.

Commissioners asked staff to follow up with the resident. The chair asked Randazzo to leave contact information with county staff so Road and Bridge can schedule either a site visit or a written response. Barger also suggested a commissioner accompany him for any in‑person inspection.

The superintendent noted that the department cannot repair every defective segment in a single season and is prioritizing work on a rotational basis. He told the board he will develop a one‑ to six‑year road plan and present it with his budget proposal.

The board and staff also discussed wider road maintenance topics during the update, including gravel‑road prioritization and concerns about a slippery segment on County Road 8. Barger asked commissioners to submit road‑priority input ahead of an afternoon work session so staff can compile a consolidated list.

The meeting record shows no immediate county funding commitment for full replacement of the culvert; the timeline for permanent work is contingent on programming and funds, according to Barger.

For the record, Randazzo told the commissioners the county declared a disaster emergency in August 2024 that mentioned County Road 23; he cited that declaration as precedent for a funding pathway but did not provide a specific citation.

The board did not take formal action on the culvert at the July 8 meeting, but staff committed to short‑term patching and further follow‑up.