Hope you Front Range folks are safe!

[fishwhistle]

Sky says,
"The creeks aren't in the same channels as before....nor can the roads be built exactly as before. they keep tossing a month or so around as a time frame to get the roads back "open".....but it's gonna be far longer than anyone realizes before this is "fixed' because many areas will have to be completely re-engineered and geologically studied/etc. for stability before they can even think about building anything back on a permanent basis or letting traffic enter these areas."
Sky hit it right on the head with this post,testing and engineering alone can take months,possibly more since the roadbeds have been washed out and water flow has changed,In my younger days i did alot of bridge and roadwork and this is gonna be a damn nightmare especially with no ancillary roads to direct traffic onto,you can fix it fast but it wont last and to do it right takes ALOT of time even with expedited plan approval and inspection,federal,state county and city all involved,I have seen much smaller projects(1 washed out road vs. many)take 18-24 months.

 

[sky high]

This details a bit about the flood in 1976 in Big Thompson....and how long it took for the road to "reopen"...and then..to eventually be completely "fixed". With EVERY canyon showing this same destruction this go around...it is gonna be a feat of magic to get this all back in order.....

http://999thepoint.com/how-long-wil...-big-thompson-canyon-after-colorado-flooding/

 

[Jarofunk]

As I understand it all canyon roads are down from Estes to Boulder Canyon. If you live in Ned you have to go to Central City and take hwy 6 to I-70 to get down.

Sunshine Canyon is open. But there are police the bottom and you have to show ID and proof of residency to go up. Lots of emergency vehicles since it's the only way to get up.

 

[fishwhistle]

Another thing most dont understand is the economic damage 1 single road thats closed can cause to an area,a shitty little road can equal 100s of thousands a day in lost dollars as residents cant get back and forth to work and home, businesses cant receive needed inventory or sell it,kids or teachers might not be able to make it to school,interstates and larger roads are even more of a hit,sometimes into the billions of dollars a day.Another problem i see is that paving(asphalt or concrete) is best done in temps above 50 degrees and you guys are sliding toward Fall/winter now,but i may be wrong on that as i dont have alot of experience in much colder areas.When i see pictures of whole houses being swept away possibly with peeps in them the roads are the least of my concerns though,people first,figure the roads out second.

 

[Dopegeist]

Whole sections of roads were washed away.
It takes CDOT a month to repave a highway.

But with Federal Disaster money they can always hire out the big jobs, requiring intellect and ambition usually reserved for the private sector. So it could happen but only if CDOT isn't in charge.

 

[putembk]

well.....they better get busy. Can't pave once the ground gets frost in it. About two maybe 3 weeks out. Lots of roads are going to be gravel this winter. This is going to be a long lasting recovery. Probably the worst storm in the states history.

 

[Dopegeist]

Gonna be a lot of dirt highways until next summer.

 

[muir]

Hearing 2, maybe as long as 6 months on Boulder Canyon. Ned has more Heli's than a M*A*S*H episode. I am hearing 1 in 10 or less in BoCo had flood insurance.

 

[Texas Kid]

Only ones with flood insurance are the ones that lost their house to the fires already..

Heard from Butters, he's alive and kickin..

 

[ttystikk]

My friends in the mountains are all okay as well, it's always the very best news.

 

[kolah]

and yet another night of rain up here.

 

[sky high]

Yup...2 sets of boomers for us last night as well. 11PM and 4 AM.

 

[fishwhistle]

Damn you guys cant catch a break,I saw on the news last night 200 still missing?Is that what you guys are hearing?

 

[putembk]

Fish, such a mess her I don't think anybody knows the exact #. There are some pretty isolated places here that rescue crews haven't gotten to yet. The devastation and destroyed lives will take time to sort out. I thought this was a relatively safe part of the world to live in....but with the fires and now this am beginning to wonder.

 

[ttystikk]

Damn you guys cant catch a break,I saw on the news last night 200 still missing?Is that what you guys are hearing?

Things are beginning to dry out, but it will take time, and patience. Those two will also be required to repair and replace all the roads, bridges and other infrastructure we take for granted right up until it's gone.

Most of those are 'no relative has heard from' status, which doesn't mean presumed dead. There are many hundreds, even thousands of mountain residents who are confounding rescuers by proclaiming that they are where they want to be, they're provisioned and if the road is out for the next month or three, they'll be fine, thanks.

Apparently, that kind of independence and preparedness are all but unheard of in other parts of the country- but I know my share of mountain folk, and they're the type who just don't feel right unless they have EVERYTHING they need for at least a month already squirreled away... and that's before winter!

Those who can't stomach the thought of being snowed in for a week or two every winter either don't apply, or leave fast. Such self selection naturally leads to a salty crew who can shake hands with their neighbors, share the load, and maintain civilization locally as long as it takes for the rest of the world to rebuild the links to it.

For many of them, the longer that process takes, the better they like it.

 

[kolah]

if true....more bad news...

is mainstream media talking about this?

http://ecowatch.com/2013/breaking-oil-spill-colorado-south-platte-river/

 

[sky high]

It was all over the news last night. "So far" 12 tanks are reportedly toppled/possibly leaking. Of course, a few days ago they (Oil and ASS spokesperson) said >all is well< and there were no instances of contamination. Last night they said there has been 20,000 gallons of oil discharged into the Platte by just 2 of these 12 tanks. My guess is that we will hear far larger numbers in the days to come as the industry is forced to tell the truth (for once).

 

[ttystikk]

It was all over the news last night. "So far" 12 tanks are reportedly toppled/possibly leaking. Of course, a few days ago they (Oil and ASS spokesperson) said >all is well< and there were no instances of contamination. Last night they said there has been 20,000 gallons of oil discharged into the Platte by just 2 of these 12 tanks. My guess is that we will hear far larger numbers in the days to come as the industry is forced to tell the truth (for once).

The industry isn't the enemy. You drive a car, right? Is it an electric? No? Then congratulations, you're an accessory to the environmental crime, too!

So far, considering the magnitude of the disaster, the number and volume of spills has been very low. Remember, those floodwaters pass through actively managed oil fields. Saudi Arabia would kill for this problem, but it doesn't rain much there...

As to the implication that they're hiding spills- it is important to remember that this flood IS STILL HAPPENING. All across Nebraska, the flood surge is entering new territory, destroying more property- and, yes, spilling more tanks. This flood won't be officially over until the flood waters all drain into the Missouri, a river that can handle the flows without jumping its banks. Until then, it's going to continue causing a ruckus, making a mess, and yes, spilling oil tanks and flooding gas stations.

 

[kolah]

Big Corporate Gov really does not give the regular people an option on what to drive now do they?

Same as for our electrical demands.

Solar and cleaner/safer means of electric power is low on the list in the US of A.

Just look at what Germany is doing. Why can't we?

 

[Dopegeist]

Well, Germany's gov't subsidy scheme is ended or ending soon. Not saying that it's more expensive, just when all other sources of energy are heavily subsidized, you gotta convince people WHY should Solar get a subsidy. All the more reason for the lemmings to wake up and learn we are electing CEOs based on popularity, not merit.
In a world without subsidies, solar would kill it. Case and point.