Ripped-out traffic signs that had been annoying residents of Lebanon Estates have been partially replaced, at least for now.
The two “no left turn” signs were removed by residents and then “stored in a garage,” according to one homeowner. They were to be donated to the county, and permission was reportedly granted by a Montezuma County commissioner to remove them.
Concrete barriers installed as traffic controls were also removed.
But the planning department did not appreciate the way residents decided to move the signs because it violated the land use code, said planning director Susan Carver. A public hearing on the matter is recommended.
The traffic controls are a stipulation of the subdivision plat, and any amendments requires all subdivision residents to sign off on the change. It then goes before a vote of the county commission.
“We sent letters out advising they put back the signs and go through the planning process, otherwise it is a violation,” said commissioner Larry Don Suckla.
Commissioner Keenan Ertel reported that a landowner showed him pictures of rebar sticking out of the concrete barriers.
“It looked like a safety concern,” he said.
Commissioner Steve Chappell said the intersection has been a problem for some time, “but it should come to this board before the changes are made. It needs to be done the proper way.”
Public outcry over their unapproved removal led to one of the signs reappearing last week on Loop Road N.8, but the concrete barriers dissuading left hand turns are still missing, along with the “no left turn” sign for drivers southbound on Road 25.
Lebanon Estates is platted for 19 homes on 65 acres off Road 25. The plan was opposed by many neighbors and drew large crowds at public hearings that become contentious.
But the subdivision was approved in 2006, with traffic controls to mitigate limited sight distances leaving and entering the subdivision.
Access is via N.8 Loop Road, a private, U-shaped street that connects to Road 25 (Lebanon Road) at two locations.
When exiting the subdivision at the north end of the Loop Road, drivers are restricted to a right turn only. Turning left, or southbound onto Road 25, was deemed too hazardous by previous commissioners because of a curving dip that can temporarily cause southbound vehicles just north of the intersection to disappear from view. The speed limit on that stretch is 40 mph.
Entering the north N.8 Loop Road with a left turn from Road 25 is also prohibited, according to the subdivision plan.
The restricted intersection has been prompting a lot of U-turns in the area, and the traffic signs have been largely ignored, according to residents.
Entrance and exit to Lebanon Estates is also available at the nearby south end of N.8 Loop Road, which has no access or egress restrictions.
In a May 17 letter to the commissioners, neighbor Jennifer Preston, expressed safety concerns about scofflaws consistently ignoring the signs, and feared accidents as the subdivision is built out.
“Beyond ... the blatant failure to enforce the traffic safety stipulations, my real concern is the safety of our family, friends, and neighbors,” Preston wrote. “If anyone is injured or killed at this dangerous intersection, the County will be liable.”
She was critical of the subdivision approval process, and wants put in place a recommendation by county-hired engineers that the north entrance to the subdivision be gated and used only for emergency purposes.
“Instead of closing the dangerous north entrance or moving it to a safer location, as recommended ..., the commissioners cobbled together the failed mitigation measure.”
A public hearing on the matter has not been scheduled, county officials report.
jmimiaga@cortezjournal.com