Elk Avenue to get slurry coat early next week

Should be a sweet ride for Ride-the-Rockies

by Mark Reaman

The town of Crested Butte has decided to put a slurry coat over the grooves in Elk Avenue between Fourth and First Streets, but the weather is playing havoc with the timing.
The grooves came after a snafu in the Bud Light Whatever USA event forced the town to mill Elk Avenue after the event’s blue paint on the street began peeling in the rain.
Originally it was anticipated that the slurry coat would be done last fall but the weather got wet and cold before it could be started. Then this spring, the Town Council debated whether to put a whole new layer of pavement over the grooves.
At the recommendation of former Public Works director Rodney Due, the council agreed to stay with the idea of putting the slurry seal over the affected portion of the street and then laying a fog seal on the rest of Elk to make it all look new.
Given some early June contract and weather delays, the work was scheduled for the end of this week. But—weather again delayed the project. The forecast is calling for rain showers through this weekend.
So look for the slurry to be laid down early next week. According to town manager Todd Crossett, the slurry coat should be laid down on Monday. On Tuesday, the fog seal will be applied to the main portion of Elk Avenue. And then a quick striping effort will be done Wednesday before the Ride-the-Rockies bicyclists arrive in town from Gunnison. If they get really lucky, the work could be done this weekend if crews are available and the weather breaks.
There will be some street closures as the work is being done but none should last more than a few hours. Once completed, the last vestiges of last September’s Bud Light Whatever USA party should be cleared from the town’s business district.