Douglas County's disappearing dirt roads
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Dusty gravel roads are slowly giving way to asphalt in Douglas County.
Why it matters: Every new paved road makes the community safer and is less expensive to maintain and more useful in emergencies.
- But paved roads chip away at a defining features of the county's rural identity, one of the clearest signs that horse country is becoming increasingly suburban.
By the numbers: Douglas County now has about 262 miles of gravel roads — down from more than 305 miles in 2010.
- About 16 miles were paved last year alone.
- Today, gravel makes up roughly 22% of the county's 1,200-plus miles of maintained roads.
What they're saying: The shift reflects who's moving into once-rural parts of the county, assistant director of public works Dan Roberts says.
- "These residents don't own horses, but they do own a Tesla," he tells Axios.
Plus, gravel roads aren't cheap.
- The county spends about $4 million annually replacing gravel. Paving a single mile cost about $215,400 last year.
Zoom in: Greenland Road is a long-term priority because drivers use it when I-25 backs up south of Castle Rock.
- Roberts says its a critical east-west connection, making it important for potential wildfire evacuations.
The county hasn't started design work on the roughly 10-mile route, though, which is likely a next-decade project.
- Planning is in the works on Grigs Road near Highlands Ranch, part of which has already been paved.
- And Furrow Road, about 9 miles south of Larkspur, is in its mile-long third phase.
Flashback: Some of the county's routes are tied to Native American travel and westward migration, says Catherine Traffis, vice president of the Parker Historical Society.
- "Imagine all the years of hoof marks and footprints," she says.
Context: But those roads were also made for a slower county.
- Today, Roberts says motorists routinely hit 60, 80 or even 100 mph — speeds that make roads more dangerous and tougher to maintain.
Caveat: The pace of paving will likely slow.
- The county's road fund relies heavily on property taxes, and revenue has flattened.
- Residents also control neighborhood paving. A property owner can nominate a road, but 51% of adjacent owners must support the plan.
The bottom line: Not every gravel road will disappear. But each one that vanishes leaves a smoother path in the rearview mirror.