Thunder Hill Rd. Improvement

I am all for seeing Thunderhill road getting paved. It would be a great improvement to our community. As Thunderhill road is now, it is a safety hazard. When the conditions are muddy or washboarded, people's lives are at a higher risk. Thunderhill is the main artery of our community and is the primary location for the children's bus stops. When the roads are muddy or washboarded, it can be very difficult to come to a stop. Several times I have almost gone in the ditch next to where the children gather at the bus stop trying to slow down to make a turn on to a side street. Luckily, it was at a time when the children weren't there. I believe it would be better to be proactive instead of reactive. Paving Thunderhill would mitigate this safety issue. I'd rather not wait for a child to be killed before we decide to make the conditions safer. Safety is not my only concern. Usability is another concern I have. When the road is muddy, it is difficult to get going with a rear wheel drive vehicle. Besides safety and usability, there are many benefits to having the roads paved. Paved roads are snow plowed before dirt or gravel roads. It helps with keeping your vehicle's value. Without the mud buildup on the frame and the inner panels, your car is far less prone to rust damage. Without the gravel, your paint and windshield is less likely to get damaged. Not only will your vehicles benefit but your house will too. Properties with paved roads tend to have higher values. There will be less dust buildup, thus making for a healthier living environment. I understand that there will be some up front costs. However, I estimate that in the long run you will come out ahead. Especially when selling your property at a higher price. Annual county costs should be less. With paved roads, there are no grading costs. With paved roads, the ditches don't fill will dirt as quickly and will incur less ditch maintenance costs. Snow removals costs should be lower too.

I built our house on thunderhill in 1984. Over the past 30 years the roads have deteriorated caused by weather and poor county maintenance. I recall visiting the residences of county commissioners a few years ago and was shocked to see how well maintained thier roads were to include improvements and the like. I voted for change. I have not seen it, just the same old song and dance from the ones with power. I believe it is time for us to get what our taxes are supposed to provide. There is no excuse for thiese conditions citizens have to endure. There are frequent washouts, gullies, washboard trails and poor drainage that could have been avoided with proper maintenance and stewardship.

Last years attempt to do something made thing worse not better. The grader work seem to get worse ever year.

We have lived in the Thunder Hill neighborhood for 12 years. Over this time the road has gone from bad to worse to horrific. Moisture and traffic turn this road into a hazard, there are times when it is very dangerous to drive the rutting and pitting at deep and make it hard to control your vehicle. I personally make multiple calls every month to Elbert County Road and Bridge to complain and demand that a road maintainer get out here. I often wonder how much longer it takes emergency personnel to get to our homes due to the road problems, the certainly cannot go to fast or they would lose control. The school buses are another thing, the children on those buses are not belted in with seat belts, with the road conditions how many children are bounced around unnecessarily? There are thousands of dollars that are being spent on maintenance, only to have the road be in the normal poor condition within hours. When will Elbert County wake up? What you are doing isn't working! Elbert County needs to realize this also effects the home values, who in their right mind would want to drive a potential client out here, or purchase a home in a neighborhood that obviously has road problems. We moved out to this area to get out of the city, and enjoy the "country life" however paving Thunder Hill Rod seems to be the ONLY answer, and as a taxpayer, resident and citizen I demand that Elbert County make this a priority.

Very Important topic in our community.

Most definitely needs to be done. Time for county to do something for the residents other than collect taxes!

Elbert did a master road plan years ago. They acknowledge that there is too much traffic on Thunderhill Rd for a dirt road to stay intact. Elbert county has a history of mis-spending road funds. With the state of Singing hills now after last years attempt to resurface I think we will be low on priority list. I guess iwe can try again.

Personally, members of our household have incurred thousand of dollars in repairs necessitated by poor conditions of the road

Please consider adding damage to our trees as a cause for concern when communicating with Elbert County as another reason their application of magnesium chloride not only did not solve the problem, it made our community worse: In the most recent study, Colorado State University researchers directly recommend against using magnesium chloride for dust suppression in forested areas. The study showed that roadside plants absorb the chemical as it runs off roads. The chloride directly harms vegetation and also hinders water uptake. Trees in the study areas suffered extensive damage from exposure to mag chloride. "The salts in the soil make it more difficult for plants to take up moisture," said researcher Betsy Goodrich. "We don't know for sure yet if it kills trees," she said. Ongoing studies should determine toxic concentrations, and how long it takes for trees to die from magnesium chloride poisoning, Goodrich said. http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20071217/NEWS/366891874