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Signs Indicating Public Access To BLM Land Worry Residents of Summit Ridge Subdivision

Austin Cope
/
KSJD

The Montezuma County Commission delayed adopting portions of its 2017 road map Monday after dozens of residents of a Summit Ridge subdivision protested proposed changes in their neighborhood. At the urging of the Bureau of Land Management, the county commissioners are considering changing the signage of County Road 35.6 and adjacent roads from red to green to indicate public access to isolated public lands bordering the subdivision. Red-signed roads are privately maintained, while green signs indicate roads are open for public use, although these particular roads would not be maintained by the county. The BLM plans to put in a parking lot and trailhead in the area. Several residents expressed concerns that increased use would result in more vandalism, litter and so-called social trails created by mountain bikers and ATV riders. Joe MacClaren said recent publicity has already brought some 75 to 100 people to the area on weekends and he had never thought the remote location would become like Phil’s World, a popular mountain-biking trail. Other residents said it takes work and money to keep the roads passable, and said the county should start maintaining the roads if it changes their status. Commissioners Keenan Ertel and James Lambert said more talks are needed with the BLM. They voted to approve the road map except for the portions under discussion and another part involving roads 25 and T.5.

--David Long contributed to this report

Gail Binkly is a career journalist who has worked for the Colorado Springs Gazette and Cortez Journal, and was the editor of the Four Corners Free Press, based in Cortez.
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