Larimer County estimates road damage at $89M

Larimer County is estimating $89 million in damage to county roads and bridges, and some roads could take years to fix, according to Marc Engemoen, director of Public Works.

“The scope and magnitude of this disaster is absolutely immense, and any notion that the damaged portions of our public road and bridge system can be restored in a matter of weeks or months rather than years is extremely unrealistic,” Engemoen wrote in a memo last week to county commissioners.

The estimate given this week to the Business Report by Engemoen comes ahead of a meeting Thursday in Fort Collins where the public works director and county officials will discuss flood costs as well as road repair and access. Crews have worked since last month’s flooding to restore access in multiple areas throughout the county.

The county’s estimate is in addition to the $475 million the Colorado Department of Transportation has estimated it will need to repair Colorado’s flood-damaged highways. The state aims to complete “temporary or permanent” repairs to highways by Dec. 1. In Larimer County, U.S. 34 remains closed west of Loveland to Estes Park.

In addition to that crucial stretch of highway, many Larimer County roads remain closed. Most of County Road 27 between Masonville and its junction with Colorado 14 is closed as several sections of road washed away.

The county is contracting with Connell Resources Inc. in Fort Collins and Gerrard Inc. in Loveland to fix the roads, Engemoen said. Those companies also have brought on additional subcontractors.

Crews are working to restore access to County Road 27 near Colorado 14 in a few days as long as weather permits, Engemoen said. The lower part near Masonville will take longer because it washed out in eight sections, though crews have installed temporary culverts and crossings in some areas. The county does not have an estimate on when it will complete repairs to a particularly hard-hit section of lower County Road 27 known as the Narrows.

Several of the structures over the lower stretch of the Little Thompson River south and southwest of Berthoud have reopened, Engemoen said. Repairs on other damaged structures should begin within the next few days.

“Some bridges appear sound, but we have been unable to remove all of the debris limiting our ability to complete inspections, as in the case of the bridge on County Road 31D near Sylvan Dale,” Engeomoen said in the memo to county commissioners. “We are allowing the public to use this structure at their own risk.”

Access to fix county roads in Estes Park has posed a particular challenge as only Colorado 7 has opened to the town, though the county had planned to begin work on County Road 43 in Drake and County Road 47 to Big Elk Meadows.

Crews also aim to build a temporary road up the north fork of the Big Thompson River to provide access to properties in the Storm Mountain area.

“This effort will be extremely difficult because of the extent of the damage, the debris and the limits on material suitable for rebuilding the roadbed,” he said. “In addition, there is a slope between Drake and Glen Haven which appears unstable and may be susceptible to a serious landslide which could endanger repair operations and further obstruct the canyon.”

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