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Fountain council weighs reopening Southmore Drive amid erosion, safety and cost concerns
Summary
Council held a lengthy discussion — but took no final vote — on whether to reopen Southmore Drive, closed since 2020 after bank erosion. Staff outlined three options (guardrail only; partial rebuild ~$450,000; full rebuild ~$870,000), legal liability risks, and trade‑offs; residents gave mixed testimony.
Todd Evans, Fountain’s public‑works lead, told the council the closure of Southmore Drive stems from bank erosion along Fountain Creek that undercut the road in April 2020 and that a regional bank‑restoration project — paid in part by the Fountain Creek Watershed District and matched by the city with $600,000 in ARPA funds — saved the roadway from immediate loss. He said the city received an access‑permit fee of $768,000 that could be applied to road projects and presented three reopening options: open “as is” with guardrail (staff minimum), a partial rehabilitation of about 1,900 linear feet (staff estimate $450,000), or a full rebuild from the American Legion north to the city limits (about $870,000).
City Attorney Chris Bridal cautioned that Colorado’s Governmental Immunity Act contains waivers for hazardous road…
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