ROADS

The goal is to have all the roads on the ranch be passable in all weather conditions. Unfortunately due to the roads initially not being located and constructed correctly and inadequate past road maintenance practices this is going to require multiple years to accomplish. The first steps to meet this goal are to continue adding material to the areas that are impassable in wet weather and improving other roads to provide continuous all-weather roads to the more remote portions of the ranch. This will provide a network of good roads to serve the majority of the ranch and that if a property owner want to build a house on a “poorer” road we will have starting point and not have to improve several miles of road to provide all-weather access to the property.

 

In the last 3 years more work has been done on other sections of ranch roads while still maintaining the more heavily traveled sections. To give you an idea of the scale of the work needed, simply adding one truck width (about 7 feet wide) of a thin layer of basalt to all the ranch roads would cost about $75,000. In many areas, the road would require 2 dump truck widths of basalt and 2-3 thin layers of basalt to provide an all-weather road. The annual budget for road maintenance is less than $50,000.

 

The ranch has over 22 miles of roads and access easements that CC&Rs require the POA to maintain. For the first 20+ years the majority of the road budget was spent on the first 2-3 miles of road on the northern section of the ranch near SR 64. Minimal work was done on other roads, including those on the southern portion of the ranch. During those years, the people controlling the funds and directing the work “justified” this concentrated expenditure by saying “everyone uses this section of road.” It can be noted that the majority of those in control lived on this section of road. It should also be noted that the majority of the assessments were and still are paid by owners whose roads were not maintained.

 

In the past, the only material that the administrators deemed “affordable” to be used on the road was cinders. On high traffic roads the cinders last about 2-3 months before being ground to dust and blowing or washing away. On lower traffic areas the cinders lasted 1-3 years. When I became a director, I asked at the first meeting about using basalt instead of cinders. I was told emphatically by two board members that is was too expensive even though they did not know how much it cost.

 

3 ½ years ago a basalt quarry opened at the northwest corner of the ranch. The quarry only sells material to select contractors. Our contractor is on good terms with the quarry owner and we get material at a reasonable price. The basalt cost about 30% more per load than cinders but will last many years. We are still using cinders when basalt is not available and on roads with very low traffic.

 

In the last few years, numerous people have moved on the more remote sections of the ranch and more work has been done to improve all of the roads on the ranch.

 

There are some sections of road that have eroded to the point that the width is less than 9 feet with steep dropoffs. The only way to fix these areas correctly requires major work. As a stopgap measure we can add basalt to make them more passable.

 

Most roads have some areas where cinders that were placed have been ground to dust and the road surface has lowered to the point where there are protruding rocks (and boulders). These areas cannot be corrected without either complete reconstruction of the road or adding enough basalt to the surface where it can be packed into the existing surface and begin raising the road to allow grading and reshaping the road crown.

The following List is organized by Road name in the order that Keith and Wade drove the roads and is not necessarily in the order of Priority of the work.

 

 

Entire road needs basalt added and some reconstruction.

 

On the east end of this section, place one load of basalt from Mesa View going toward Madison and Blackbird.

 

There is an area near west end of the road where the road is very narrow and has large cobbles and protruding rocks. There are steep dropoffs where the ditch has eroded the road. Basalt should be placed from large metal building (of unknown use but has regular use), past Grey Hawk to the Blackbird intersection.

 

The area where the road is narrow needs reconstruction. Adding basalt is a stopgap measure until the reconstruction can be done.

 

This is a very low traffic road. Currently it is passable with a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Adding basalt to the entire road will improve it so that any vehicle can use it.

 

Entire road needs basalt. Begin by placing basalt in the low areas that rut in wet weather.

 

Road is in good condition. Some washboarding but road is safe and passable in any weather.

 

Mostly in good condition. There are a couple of spots where the basalt has pushed into the base and need another layer of basalt. There is some washboarding but the road is safe and passable in all conditions.

 

Good condition at this time Needs additional basalt to cover pulverized cinders.

 

Good Condition. Basalt was spread 3 years ago and is holding up well.

 

basalt has recently been place past the cattle guard toward Madison. More basalt is needed to cover the road to Madison.

 

Place basalt to fill in areas with no basalt.

 

Place basalt to fill areas with no basalt

 

Grade low spot to remove major holes and add basalt. In the low area place large basalt and top with fine basalt. The best long term solution is to raise road and add a pipe but this may never be necessary.

 

This section is in excellent condition. Before basalt was added 3 years ago, it was extremely muddy with deep ruts. We added large basalt which would have been pushed into the soil but we did not get any rain. Fine basalt was added to the top to reduce the tire damage. This solved the tire issue and when the soil was moist, the basalt pushed into the soil to form a firm base and riding surface. This area should not be graded, since grading may dislodge the large basalt and bring it to the surface.

 

The area has had basalt added recently. There are still some ruts and depending on how deep the basalt is pushed into the base more basalt may be needed.

 

There is some basalt at the beginning of this section. Basalt needs to be added to the bottom of the mesa.

 

This section is borderline passable and was improved a few years ago. The repair only lasted until one heavy rainstorm. To provide a maintainable road, major ditch reconstruction and water diversion will be required.

 

Some areas were repaired 2 years ago using cinders when basalt was not available. Parts of this area are holding up but the cinders are being pulverized. Basalt is needed to cover these sections and other sections that no basalt has been added.

 

Most of this section is in fair condition. Basalt was added 2 years ago to the worst areas. Most of this basalt has been pushed into the base. Additional basalt is needed in many areas and some areas have never had basalt added.

 

Basalt has been added to the worst areas. Basalt is needed in the sections that have not had basalt added.

 

Most of this section is in fair condition. More basalt in needed in the low areas that remain underwater when wet and a layer of basalt is needed on top of the cinders that were added to provide access to 3 residences. There is a short section near the end of Mesa View that has not had any basalt added.

 

Basalt has been added to this section. There are a few areas going up the hill where the basalt has been pushed in and need mare basalt.

 

Basalt has been added to most of this section. Some sections were very soft and more basalt will be needed as the first layer pushes in.

 

There are 2 properties that have access through this road. The road is mostly soil and possibly had cinders added during the original development. While the whole road needs basalt there is one rocky area about ¼ mile in that is almost impassable.

 

The section from Mesa view to the switchback is in fair condition. Additional basalt is needed to cover soil areas with protruding rock.

 

The hill needs additional basalt to cover soil areas and protruding rocks. This can only be done when the ground is moist.

 

The road on top of the mesa has had basalt added. Much of it was placed on soft soil and will push in when the soil is wet.

 

The entire road need basalt. There is a washout that will need large basalt added and fine basalt placed on top.  At the HML intersection near the mesa, a load of basalt should be added in each direction. This will allow the POA to provide access to the parcels abutting the mesa when one is developed.

 

This is low volume road in good to fair condition. It has been maintained by a property owner. It needs additional basalt in the low point. The entire road needs basalt.

 

This is a low volume road that needs basalt.

 

This is low volume road where basalt was added directly on top of large cobbles to allow a home to be delivered. No work needed at this time.

 

We have added basalt to many muddy areas. The remaining areas need basalt added. There a low area at the Kameron Mesa intersection that will need additional layers of basalt.

 

Low volume road in fair condition. The entire length needs basalt.

 

This is not shown on the plats as a POA easement. Since it provides access to SR 64 for numerous owners, it has been maintained by the POA in the past. Much of the material on this road has been donated by the quarry. At this time it is in good shape and no work is needed.

 

Basalt has recently added to this area.

 

Continue adding basalt to the areas with no basalt.

 

Cinders were added to much of this area. The cinders are less expensive that basalt and were used since this is low volume road. We will see how long they last.

 

Add basalt to Pipeline Road. Add basalt from Pipeline Road to the turn at the top of the hill. We may consider using Cinders in this area.

 

This portion of Pipeline Road is on a POA easement and we are responsible for maintaining it. The entire road need either basalt or cinders added. Add basalt to section that serves the residence first.

 

The major portion of the road was reconstructed by a property owner at no cost to the POA. The cinders are starting to break down and will need basalt added in the future.

 

There are POA access easement at the end of the road. The easement to the south is very low traffic but needs basalt to provide all weather access. The easement to the south was mostly reconstructed but basalt is needed for a short section.

 

Both Canvasback and Lara Lane have been maintained by property owners without using POA funds. Last year we added basalt to the entrance and a short section up both roads. Basalt is need for the entire length of Canvasback.

 

Another load of basalt is needed to fill holes at the low spot. The entire road needs basalt.

 

There is a “No Trespassing” sign that is actually placed before the POA easement ends. The POA easement actually extends several hundred feet to the gate. The resident that is behind the gate stated that he has a supply of fine cinders that he would be willing to place on the road at no cost to the POA if the POA would place large cinders on this section.