Just how costly the July 23 plague of torrential rains, hail and floods will be is still an open question. More than a week after, evidence of the extreme weather remains: a sinkhole has shut down a Manitou Springs thoroughfare, a rural El Paso County road is still impassible after it collapsed when floodwaters ripped away the culvert underneath, and miles of dirt road remain washed out in Green Mountain Falls. Manitou Avenue, which was closed Tuesday just northwest of the traffic circle at Ruxton Avenue, could remain inaccessible for two months while crews repair a damaged culvert that, along with the sinkhole, has made the road unsafe to drive, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Work on the fix, which could cost CDOT up to $2 million, is set to begin later this week, state Program Engineer Mark Andrew said in a statement. “It looks like initially end of September before we complete the work but we’re exploring options to shorten that up with accelerated construction,” Andrew said. “We will look at phasing the project so we might have one lane open sooner.” The county might also have to pay a hefty price to repair Old Pueblo Road, where a 48-inch culvert washed out and the road collapsed at Birdsall Road, said county spokesman Dave Rose. Three people were hospitalized after two vehicles and a Hanover firetruck fell into the ditch in the southern part of the county. On Tuesday, the Board of County Commissioners approved an emergency… [Read full story]
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