Old Pueblo Road south of Fountain and north of Hanover Road in southern El Paso County has reopened after new culverts were installed this week and the road has been paved. The roadway, which also serves as an emergency bypass for Interstate 25 had been washed out during torrential storms that pounded the area on July 23, 2018, bringing heavy rains, hail and wind.
El Paso County Executive Director of Public Works Jim Reid said, “We want to thank everyone, especially residents living in the area, for their patience during the work, the subsequent road closure, and any inconvenience this may have caused. We wanted to make sure that Old Pueblo Road had been given a permanent fix that will keep motorists and residents downstream safe for years to come.”
County engineers began designing the reconstructed roadway immediately after the washout occurred. Prior to the washout, a 48-inch corrugated steel pipe had been used to convey water flowing through the drainage and under the road as the water headed toward Fountain Creek to the west.
The $1.2 million project included placing 10 7-foot-by-7-foot concrete box culverts in the channel under Old Pueblo Road. After crews performed utility line relocation and built a rock under-drain to divert groundwater seepage from the site, the culverts were placed in two five-culvert rows on Sept. 11. The area was backfilled before the paving work could be done. El Paso County contracted with Martin Marietta to repave the roadway.
Finishing work to include head walls, wing walls, grading, additional paving, etc. will be completed in the following months through a separate design/construction contract.