Commissioners Address Road Safety Issues

The Board of County Commissioners would like to remind Washington County crop producers of the road standards with regard to sight lines. As the time is approaching to begin spring planting the Board of County Commissioners wants to advise all crop producers that safe travel on county roads is a top priority. Please remember that for crops which grow three feet or higher, the triangle of 75-feet from the intersecting section line must be clear of visual obstruction. The road standards identify this triangle as “the line of sight is established by measuring form the recognized section line intersection down along each section line to a point which is a distance of 75 feet from the intersection. A diagonal line that would connect each measured 75 foot point from one section line to an adjacent section line must remain clear of crop production which is three feet or higher.

The above drawing is of a typical crossroad intersection, the lighter color indicates where the crops above 3’ high or more must not be planted.

Safety to all citizens of Washington County is of the utmost importance to the Board of County Commissioners. ANY ROW CROPS NOT MEETING THIS STANDARD WILL BE MOWED OFF BEGINNING THE WEEK OF AUGUST 1st. If you have any questions to the above referenced standard please contact your local road supervisor or call the commissioner’s office at (970)345-2701.

Irrigation is in Full Swing

Please remember that is is dangerous to allow streams of water to shoot into the roadways.

According to State of Colorado Revised Statutes Title 43 Transportation 43-5-303:

No person or persons shall repeatedly, willingly or negliently cause or allow water to flow, fall or sprinkle from any ditch, lateral, canal, waste ditch, reservoir, pond, drain, flume or agricultural crop sprinkler system upon any public road or highway so as to damage the same or to cause a hazard to vehicular traffic.

It is imperative that end guns are turned off as the pivot nears the roadway.  Drivers will not be anticipating muddy or slick conditions or a sudden burst of water that may inhibit visibility.

HELP KEEP OUR COUNTY ROADS SAFE

 The Washington County Board of Commissioners have many and varied responsibilities. A major area of responsibility is the supervision and maintenance of roads and bridges in the county that are not part of the state highway system. A main objective of the Board of County Commissioners is to provide and maintain a safe, cost efficient and quality county road system for the motorists in Washington County, Colorado.

Telecommunication Companies needing to make cuts in roads can find the form on our Forms Page.

Winter Snow Operations

An Advisory to Citizens of Washington County from the Road & Bridge Department Regarding Winter Operations During the winter season, the Road and Bridge Department would like to take this opportunity to inform the citizens of Washington County about what to expect for snow plowing and sanding operations. Washington County has a diverse labor force and it is impossible to meet the needs of each of our citizens. Therefore, the Road and Bridge Department asks that anyone operating a motor vehicle during this season take the time to equip their vehicle with necessary winter equipment.

The following is an inventory of necessary items that should be in each vehicle:

• Matches and Candles
• Flashlight and Extra Batteries
• First Aid Kit
• Tire Chains
• Small sack of Sand or Cat Litter
• Shovel and Small Tool Kit
• Tow Chain or Strap
• Jumper Cables
• Warning Triangles

All motorists must realize there may be periods during storm events when roads will not be freshly plowed and/or sanded. The Road and Bridge Department requests that for your safety you are prepared for these conditions and understand the proper use of the devices outlined in the suggested inventory list. Additionally, all motorists should tell someone when and where they will be traveling to prevent being stranded for long periods of time. Now for our part. The Road and Bridge Department Operators must possess a Commercial Drivers License. The Washington County Government is required to follow the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Regulations Part 385 (Hours of Operation). It is in violation of Part 395 to require our operators to drive their respective equipment for more than 11 hours following a 10-hour “off-duty” period. Since this department only has as many operators as there is available equipment, we can only offer service for 11 consecutive hours, followed by a 10-hour “off-duty” period each day. It is the policy of this department to clear the school bus routes first and then the collector or “Primary” classified roads for peak traffic travel. This would include an effort placed on Postal Service routes as well. After these roads are cleared, the local roads or “Secondary” roads are then plowed. During a snow event, our operators are notified at 4:00 a.m. to begin operations by 5:00 a.m. All plow routes are designed to take approximately 8 hours to complete (this generally means each road is plowed once during this time). During continuous snow storms, the operators will work the maximum allowed hours but may have to concentrate on Primary classified roads, which is the reason some Secondary roads may receive little if any attention. At no time can we offer service between 8:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. A rule of thumb is the “lower the traffic volume on a road, the more likely the road is to receive little or no attention during large snow-fall events.” Snowfall of 4” or less, no action required unless considerable wind causes drifting. With our below average precipitation, moisture on our gravel roads actually helps our maintenance operations. Snowfall of 4” or more requires our operators to clear snow off the road as soon as possible in one direction. Once a single lane has been cleared on all Primary designated roads, our next efforts will be to clear the remainder of the width of the road. A normal depth of 2-3” of snow left on our gravel roads is acceptable. All of the hard surfaced roads in Washington County will be completely cleared with snowfalls of 4” or more. Anything less than that, usually nature takes care for us. Private driveways and roads are not the County’s responsibility. Any resident asking for their private property to be graded or plowed out from snowfall, must request in writing to be considered. The Commissioners may allow an exception to this policy. A release from liability form must be signed prior to any road work if the exception is allowed. Our hope is that by offering this information, motorists will prepare themselves with the suggested inventory listed above and try to plan their trips in conjunction with our schedule. If you have any questions, please call the Road and Bridge Office at 970-345- 2701 to have your questions answered or directed.