Montrose County Looking to Build Road Over Uncompahgre Plateau

RIDGWAY – Montrose County may soon be moving toward the construction of the “Tabeguache Roadway,” an improved road over the Uncompahgre Plateau that would act as a main thoroughfare connecting Montrose with the county’s isolated West End communities of Nucla, Naturita and Paradox Valley.

Montrose County Commissioners Ron Henderson and Gary Ellis told the commissioners of Ouray and San Miguel counties at a Tri County Worksession on Feb. 17 in Ridgway that a “feasibility study” will soon be underway to begin the process.

Currently, no direct route between the West End communities and the main population center of the county exists. To reach Montrose, residents must either take a circuitous route north through Gateway and Unaweep Canyon, or south through Norwood, the San Miguel River Canyon and Ridgway.

A direct route, according to Henderson, has long been a consideration, and with federal stimulus money possibly available for the project, now may be the time to build the road.

“The drive around is detrimental to the county,” Henderson said. “There are huge economic possibilities as well as recreational. It is just, in my mind, a great benefit to be able to go over the Uncompahgre Plateau to take care of Montrose County. The county has started a program to identify the political concerns of representatives so we can move forward in gaining the support necessary in getting a new highway as soon as possible.”

Concerns were raised by other counties as well as citizens about the impact such a road would have on the ecology of the Uncompahgre Plateau.

“It would be a terrible tragedy to pave a highway through there. To have cars speeding through there at 60 miles per hour with deer and elk everywhere,” said Ken Emory, land use chairman for the Western Slope 4-Wheelers. “It is such a beautiful area.” He encouraged the commissioners to solicit public input. “Hopefully we can be involved.”

Ellis said Montrose County would have “to weigh the economic benefits to those people who have felt disconnected and find a level of balance,” adding that the county is “talking” about a gravel road because “paved is so far out of the way right now” financially.

San Miguel County Commissioner Art Goodtimes questioned whether creating a shorter drive justified the detrimental effects such a project would have on the nature of the area.

“I think it is very important that we look very carefully at the ecology,” Goodtimes said. “Trying to put a road over is not a solution to connectivity. We can better address that in other ways rather than sacrificing the ecological integrity that would cut hours by a short period of time.”

When asked what such a solution might be, Goodtimes encouraged greater coordination between the counties.

“If you are interested in getting any stimulus money, you are going to have to get cooperation from all of us,” he said.

Ouray County Commissioner Keith Meinert pointed out that shovel-ready projects would receive priority for stimulus money, and expressed concern that due process had not been completed for the proposed road because so many voices need to be heard on the matter.

“There is a fear that you have grabbed it and run with it for stimulus money and that will bypass or shortcut the process,” Meinert said. “I would ask that you get input from all sectors of the public.”

Ellis tried to ally fears by saying the process would not “happen in a vacuum.”

“We think it is something feasible. It has been discussed for years and there could be some funding there. We need to talk about this.”