El Paso County Department of Transportation Director John McCarty outlined his department’s mission to maintain and improve the countyís road network and drainage system, according to a county news release. The budget is the drawback to his plans, as stated in the release. ìSince 1996, the cost of commodities, or the materials needed for the roads, has increased significantly. Some such as concrete, which went from $40 to $80 a cubic yard, have even doubled in price.îSince 2000, DOT has tracked road reports from citizens. More than 20,727 service requests have been received since that time, with an approximate 25 percent increase since 2002.The Highway Advisory Commission, a volunteer group that reviews county road issues and recommends roads for paving, released its report as well. From the release, ìThe HAC also monitors what is going on with the DOT, and as citizens we do have great concerns about the future of our roads,î said DeForest Hamilton, vice chair of the HAC. ìWe have an aging infrastructure, including 300 miles of poor pavement out of 900 miles total in this county. Combine events like the hard winter we just had and the zero increase to the road and bridge budget, and condition of our roads will just keep deteriorating.îRead the full reports at http://adm.elpasoco.com/Transportation.
