FOX31 Denver

Residents concerned about eroding stretch of US 285

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Residents near the town of Conifer are concerned about a stretch of U.S. 285, which they say looks to be eroding.

The area in question is a northbound stretch, near mile marker 231 on the shoulder.

Resident Mike Butterfield, who runs Red Hawk Ranch, said he’s been complaining to the Colorado Department of Transportation since September 2021.

“This is a undercut of the highway, so water’s coming down and just washing out underneath the highway,” Butterfield said.

Late Tuesday, Matt Inzeo, CDOT’s communications director, said a curb edge of the road is, indeed, missing. He said infill and loads of rock will be needed to “build the area back up.”

Weather permitting, that process could begin as early as Wednesday. That’s good news for Mike Butterfield and others.

“It’s all about the safety of the people that drive the highway,” he said.