PUEBLO WEST, Colo. (KOAA) — Multiple Pueblo West residents have reached out to KOAA News5 with concerns about potholes that are ruining local roads and costing them money in vehicle repairs.
The potholes along streets like Siesta Drive and Ferncliff Drive have grown so large that resident Mark Senn was able to lie down inside one of them.
"I really don't describe it as a road. I describe it more of an obstacle course," Senn said.
Senn, who lives along Ferncliff Drive, said the holes have reached an extreme size.
"Some of them you can actually sit down inside and take a nap in. I mean, they're that huge," he said. "You could just put some dirt in one of them and pot a tree into it, and that tree would probably thrive in these holes."
The problem extends beyond just one neighborhood. Julie Christian, whose mother lives on Alaric Drive in Pueblo West, said they have been trying to get potholes fixed at the opening of their street for 2 to 3 years.
"It's like they're starting to become like little sinkholes over there," Christian said.
The deteriorating road conditions are forcing drivers, like Christian’s 92 year old mom, to navigate around the holes, which is damaging nearby lawns and causing expensive vehicle repairs.
"They can't really drive into the street anymore without falling into one of the potholes and it's starting to affect their lawns because people try and drive around like the stop sign and try and get around everything to where it's starting to dig the holes," Christian said.
The constant damage is taking a financial Christian said.
"When I take it in to get oil changes or different things, they're like, oh, there's another crack in the strut to where we'll have to replace it again and again. And it gets expensive trying to replace all that all the time, you know?" she said.
Pueblo County is responsible for maintaining these roads. In an email to News5, a spokesperson said the county fixes potholes year-round but currently has a backlog of more than 600 pothole work tasks through November alone. They have completed over 225 work tasks.
According to the county, when a work task is complete, all affected potholes reported along the roadway section that were sent in from the public are notified of completion of the service request by text notice if information is provided.
Senn and Christian said they want to see a long-lasting fix.
"Not a band-aid fix, but I mean a permanent fix on them that they want to come back in 2 years and redo it again. They need to spend the money to fix the roads so that they're good for the next 10 years up here," Senn said.
"I'd really like to have them come out and repave the whole side of the street here, not just patch them up and put sand in it and then put a little tar over it. I'd really like them to repave the whole street," Christian said.
Residents experiencing pothole issues can contact Pueblo County by calling 719-583-6060, where a receptionist will take information and submit a work task to the Roads and Bridges team.
People can also submit requests online using the form at Report a Road Issue on the Pueblo County website.
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