Caldwell County agrees to extend maintenance on Sand Hill Road after resident appeals

Caldwell County Commissioners on Sept. 10 voted to extend county maintenance on Sand Hill Road to K and L Ranch Road following a string of public comments from residents who said pipeline construction and heavy traffic left the gravel road eroded and hazardous.

Residents including Dennis Jewell and Matthew Palmer described decades of use, county maps that show Sand Hill as a county road, and serious safety concerns: blind corners, eroded shoulders, and a school-bus turnaround that may soon be impassable. "The probability of a significant accident just increases dramatically when that road deteriorates," resident Dennis Jewell said during public comment. Matthew Palmer told commissioners residents can no longer keep up with deterioration and said deliveries and trucks travel the road at high speed.

Commissioner Horn brought the item forward and moved to take over maintenance “all the way to K and L Ranch,” saying the county’s road crew could manage the work with brush clearing and side-cutting. Commissioners discussed the need to confirm public right-of-way along the full stretch and agreed to extend maintenance at least to the previously referenced CT & L turnaround.

The court took a vote after discussion and the motion carried with no recorded opposition.

The action followed multiple citizen pleas that the county adopt responsibility to reduce liability and improve emergency access. Commissioners asked staff to confirm right-of-way and easement status for the full section before work begins and to prioritize clearing and drainage to address erosion caused by recent pipeline and development activity.

Next steps: staff will verify legal right-of-way and prepare an implementation plan for the unit road department to begin clearing and maintenance work; the commissioners indicated they expect the county road unit to manage the initial repairs.