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Pueblo West Metro addresses potholes, outlines 7.24-mile chip-seal program and machine purchase
Summary
Residents pressed Pueblo West Metro staff about persistent potholes and school-bus routes; staff said PCI scans and traffic counts drive prioritization, that 7.24 miles will receive chip-seal this year and that a reclaimer machine purchase (delayed by court) will allow on-site base reclamation and longer road life.
Residents at a Pueblo West Metro meeting pressed staff on persistent potholes, unsafe intersections and the transparency of repair plans while staff described how the district prioritizes work and the new equipment it plans to use.
Multiple residents described deep potholes on streets such as Desert Cove and at the Joe Martinez/Byrd/Waddleson intersection and said school-bus drivers and drivers face repeated damage and safety hazards. One commenter said the potholes were “hazardous, and it could cause an accident.” Staff responded that they scan asphalt roads annually to generate a pavement-condition index (PCI) score and run traffic counts; those data feed an algorithm used to prioritize repairs.
“Every one of our asphalt roads is scanned every year,” staff said during the meeting, summarizing the PCI process and noting traffic counts and area considerations then alter the priority list. Staff told residents the program will do 7.24 miles of chip seal this year and about 24 miles of dust-treatment work on unpaved roads.
The meeting also included a technical discussion of overlays, milling and a newly purchased reclaimer — a machine that scarifies and mixes existing pavement and base material to rebuild a road section. A speaker who answered resident questions said the reclaimer was purchased to improve base conditions and extend pavement life: the machine will allow reclamation of base material, addition of stabilizer and repaving that staff expect can yield seven to eight years of service life. Staff said the reclaimer’s deployment was delayed by a court issue but was expected to proceed in October.
Staff cautioned that not all impaired streets are suitable for patching; thin chip-seal surfaces may not hold patches and in those cases milling or reclamation is required. They also said capacity is constrained: the road crew is operating with roughly eight to nine workers rather than about 18 because of vacancies and absences.
The meeting included a pledge to post a public, searchable list of roads planned for work on the county/transparency page and to redesign the online transparency area for easier access. Staff provided a phone number (70958366) and an email (Georgeg@PuebloCounty.US) for reporting road problems.
The meeting adjourned at 4:55 p.m.
