San Juan County praises new excavator, plans road repairs and tougher winter parking enforcement

San Juan County Road & Bridge staff reported that a recent equipment purchase and a set of maintenance projects are reshaping how the county manages steep mountain roads and winter access.

Rusty Melter, introduced as the county’s enterprise supervisor, said crews repurposed old bridge timbers for cribbing at a Bridal/Mayflower culvert and used the new excavator to pull gravel from downhill slopes, reducing dozer use and saving fill. “It’s the first time we’ve had a machine to be able to do that,” Melter said, arguing the purchase will reduce long‑term leasing costs and improve access for repairs.

Melter outlined summer plans to close Engineer Pass for multi‑week rock drilling at steep switchbacks to break rock and rebuild ditches, and he asked to coordinate closures with neighboring jurisdictions. He also described operational changes for winter: increased signage at turnarounds, tow‑zone postings and conditional towing when vehicles block snow removal or EMS staging areas after one Sunday counted 63 vehicles in a single parking lot.

Commissioners discussed enforcement options and the difficulty of relying on volunteer tow operators in the county; Melter said he will place ‘no unintended vehicles’ signs and work with local towing services and the sheriff’s office to enable removal where vehicles impede operations. The board did not take a formal additional vote on enforcement but directed staff to pursue signage and coordination with law enforcement and towing providers.

The Road & Bridge report also noted highway users tax fund calculations and a staff proposal to explore adding an unimproved county route into the official road network (with a gate to limit through traffic) that could add an estimated $8,000 a year in highway user revenue if the road is developed to county standards.