Fountain council weighs reopening Southmore Drive amid erosion, safety and cost concerns

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 conditions and that reopening a road the city knows to be hazardous could expose the municipality to liability. “If you are engaging in opening a road that you know is going to be hazardous … that likely would fall as a waiver of governmental immunity,” Bridal said.

Bob McDonald, the city’s transportation director, summarized pavement condition data: “Our current PQI is 29.4,” he said, and noted residential streets average worse (PQI ~18.3). He described corings that showed as little as 2 inches of asphalt in the northern section and said that substantially more maintenance would be required if the road were opened without significant repairs.

Staff recommended some minimal safety work if the council chose to open the roadway. Todd Evans said a guardrail would cost roughly $51,000 (including end‑treatments) and that placing construction‑grade concrete barriers is a possible temporary measure but would still require safe end treatments and pins to avoid creating new hazards. He also emphasized procurement realities: small jobs can be more expensive per ton because contractors prioritize larger work.

Fourteen residents addressed the council during public comment and expressed mixed views. Some who live on Puerta and nearby streets said opening Southmore would restore convenient access and relieve traffic on other neighborhood streets; others who live immediately adjacent to the bank said they fear speed, noise and the risk of renewed erosion. John Langley, commander of American Legion Post 38, said the repaired bank now provides a broad, flat margin and urged reopening with safety measures; another resident described rescuing occupants of a vehicle that had gone into the creek years ago.

Councilmembers repeatedly returned to two trade‑offs: the up‑front cost of a more durable rebuild versus the recurring operating cost of repeated patching, and the legal risk of opening a road that staff judges still vulnerable. Staff said partial or full rehabilitation could be scheduled for the 2026 paving season if council directed staff to pursue a bid, while the guardrail-only approach could be completed in a matter of months.

Council did not vote on a specific option. Several members expressed a preference for a cautious, middle path — either installing guardrail now while the roadway focus group reviews options or pursuing a partial rebuild next summer — and asked staff to bring a budget amendment and formal recommendation for the council’s next meeting in February.