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Folks using Porcupine Creek Road, also known as County Road 325, southwest of Rifle, recently asked the county to lower the speed limit from 25 to 15. The narrow winding road has seen a sharp jump in truck traffic due to natural-gas production activity in the area.
County road and bridge supervisor Marv Stephenson cautioned the county commissioners against the change.
"It may be making more lawbreakers ... than doing good," he said.
County Commissioner Larry McCown agreed.
"I have a problem with 15 miles per hour on a Garfield County road. ... You'd have to ride the brakes from the top to the bottom to keep to 15 miles per hour," he said.
The sheriff's office gets calls "almost daily," Sheriff Lou Vallario said about speeding problems on county roads. Usually it's only a few offenders and not always the out-of-town gas-production companies breaking the law. He also agreed that 25 mph on the Porcupine Road is not safe for trucks.
"We're seeing the use of our roads changing, and we can't keep up with it," said Commissioner Trési Houpt. "We have to err on the side of conservatism and change the speed limit. It alerts people that there's a problem. Until you can upgrade the road, you have to change the speed limit."
Houpt also proposed changing the speed limit to 15 mph for trucks only. McCown, a former state trooper, said he was against the idea. Commissioner John Martin was all for it. "We need to go with safety," he said.
"This is a good place to try it," he said.
McCown suggested the lower limit apply to trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds.
"And you better have your scales ready," Vallario agreed.
The commissioners approved the 15-mph limit for trucks for the entire road, with McCown casting a "no" vote.
During their regular Monday meeting, the commissioners also considered installing a guardrail on Stone Quarry Road in Battlement Mesa. Again, residents appealed to the road and bridge department asking for the upgrade because of an accident recently in which a car skidded on the icy road and took out a power pole.
While there is a wide grass shoulder on the road, it is riddled with utility lines, fiber optic cable, a high-pressure gas line and a sprinkler system. Stephenson said that at the least the sprinkler system and the gas line would have to be moved.
The commissioners directed Stephenson to explore options for moving the two lines in order to install the guardrail.
Contact Donna Gray: 945-8515, ext. 510
dgray@postindependent.com
County road and bridge supervisor Marv Stephenson cautioned the county commissioners against the change.
"It may be making more lawbreakers ... than doing good," he said.
County Commissioner Larry McCown agreed.
"I have a problem with 15 miles per hour on a Garfield County road. ... You'd have to ride the brakes from the top to the bottom to keep to 15 miles per hour," he said.
The sheriff's office gets calls "almost daily," Sheriff Lou Vallario said about speeding problems on county roads. Usually it's only a few offenders and not always the out-of-town gas-production companies breaking the law. He also agreed that 25 mph on the Porcupine Road is not safe for trucks.
"We're seeing the use of our roads changing, and we can't keep up with it," said Commissioner Trési Houpt. "We have to err on the side of conservatism and change the speed limit. It alerts people that there's a problem. Until you can upgrade the road, you have to change the speed limit."
Houpt also proposed changing the speed limit to 15 mph for trucks only. McCown, a former state trooper, said he was against the idea. Commissioner John Martin was all for it. "We need to go with safety," he said.
"This is a good place to try it," he said.
McCown suggested the lower limit apply to trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds.
"And you better have your scales ready," Vallario agreed.
The commissioners approved the 15-mph limit for trucks for the entire road, with McCown casting a "no" vote.
During their regular Monday meeting, the commissioners also considered installing a guardrail on Stone Quarry Road in Battlement Mesa. Again, residents appealed to the road and bridge department asking for the upgrade because of an accident recently in which a car skidded on the icy road and took out a power pole.
While there is a wide grass shoulder on the road, it is riddled with utility lines, fiber optic cable, a high-pressure gas line and a sprinkler system. Stephenson said that at the least the sprinkler system and the gas line would have to be moved.
The commissioners directed Stephenson to explore options for moving the two lines in order to install the guardrail.
Contact Donna Gray: 945-8515, ext. 510
dgray@postindependent.com
