ELBERT COUNTY, Colo. — Denver7 | Your Voice hit the road to the Eastern Plains Friday after a viewer reached out to us about the conditions on Highway 86 in Elbert County.
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Jody Daughenbaugh wrote into our newsroom, "Our roads need some serious help! Highway 86 in an asphalt disaster- maybe this will get the State of Colorado to take notice."
It didn't take long to find what Daughenbaugh was talking about. The 36-mile state highway shows signs of needed repair, from potholes to crumbling edges, especially through the Towns of Elizabeth and Kiowa.
"When I go out in it, I’m like, 'Oh my God, this is ridiculous,'" Daughenbaugh told Denver7 in an interview on Friday.
Daughenbaugh isn't the only one who's noticed the need for repairs.
Jamie Polk is the owner of Bino's Pizza in the Town of Kiowa. She told us the family-run business hears about Highway 86 issues daily.
"One of the biggest complaints when they're out here is... the road conditions are terrible," Polk said.
Denver7 reached out to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to find out if there are smoother roads ahead.
"86 is a lot like a lot of other roads we have," said Jared Fiel, CDOT's northeast regional communications manager. "Population increasing, truck traffic increased, and what we find is that... it's fun to try to keep up with all of it."
Fiel explained that aging infrastructure under the road can limit what the state can fix.
In the next three to five years, a local project in Kiowa will address aging waterlines, followed by a full roadway reconstruction of Highway 86 through the town.
"We have areas where we do have some aging infrastructure, but we're trying to stay on top of that as best we can with the dollars that we have," Fiel explained.
Next spring, construction will begin on a full bridge replacement on the west end of Kiowa, according to CDOT. Next spring/summer, there's an asphalt project scheduled through Elizabeth.
Residents told Denver7 they hope the future fixes will lead to smooth sailing in the years to come.
"I'm just hoping the projects will be successful and hoping they're sooner rather than later," said Polk.
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