Unable to negotiate right-of-way for a temporary detour, the Larimer County Commissioners on May 20 directed the public works department to begin permanent repairs on flood-damaged County Road 27 at the Narrows.
A dispute regarding the status of public right-of-way was at the center of the issue. Untimely delays would put Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement at risk and county officials did not want a court case which would likely cause further delays resulting in only a few weeks use on the detour.
County Road 27 was extensively damaged by the September floods and is one of the last roads to remain closed, making travel inconvenient for people driving between Poudre Canyon and Loveland.
Residents of the Buckhorn Canyon have been especially inconvenienced and asked for a detour. The county tried to comply. In April, the commissioners directed public works and engineering to bring back construction bids on a detour project and work with the landowners.
Commissioner Lew Gaiter III appreciated the work of staff, “I commend the staff on their efforts given the short time frame. We really worked hard to try and make this work for the citizens of the area.”