The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Decision made to leave it as is until fall
By Mark Reaman
In a story that seems to be lasting longer than a federal review of a ski area expansion or an episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians, the state of Elk Avenue remains up in the air and a mess. The company hired to lay down a slurry seal over the Whatever USA zone between Fourth and First Streets and then fog coat the entirety of the street has essentially been fired after trying several times since last week to do the project, but failing.
The heart of Elk Avenue was damaged last September after the Whatever USA event. As part of the promotion, the main thoroughfare was painted blue. But the day after the event ended, a rainstorm resulted in the blue paint peeling from the asphalt. The town moved into emergency mode and milled up the top layer of the asphalt in an effort to pick up the remaining paint. That left grooves in the street that were cosmetically ugly, but the integrity of the street was fine, according to Crested Butte public works director Rodney Due (who will return to his job next week).
Poor fall weather prohibited the town from putting down a slurry seal last fall. Spring rains, some contract issues and some council debate on whether to slurry or pave Elk Avenue delayed the project this spring. By the time the stars aligned, the companies traditionally used by the town were busy. So the town hired A-Z Asphalt.
Last Thursday, June 18, A-Z Asphalt, from Wyoming, began the slurry seal process.
After completing one strip on the north side of Elk, the machine had a water pump malfunction and the slurry mix began to deteriorate. On Tuesday, June 23, the company started to lay down more slurry but apparently the old compromised mix was still in the machine. Finally, Crested Butte town manager Todd Crossett “pulled the plug” about 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
“They came back and said they had more mechanical problems,” he explained. “We were not getting the product we needed on Elk Avenue so I pulled the plug.”
Town crews were then instructed to use a grader to pull up the slurry coat that had been laid down by A-Z. Crossett said a company the town has used in the past, United Paving, has a window to lay down a layer of asphalt on Elk Avenue next week before the Fourth of July holiday kicks in. United doesn’t do slurry seals so this would be like a thin asphalt job that doesn’t need the street to be milled.
“The question is do we knock it out before the Fourth or do we wait until the fall,” said Crossett. “The business owners that I spoke with today [Tuesday] say just wait until the fall since we are already in the start of the busy summer season.”
Crossett said he would poll the council for input by email since a Town Council meeting is not scheduled until July 6. Depending on what the seven council members decide, the state of Elk Avenue will remain groovy for at least a little while longer.
Mayor Aaron Huckstep is back in town and he understands the frustration from nearby businesses and citizens. “I’m pleased that the project was stopped today, although it obviously does not give us the outcome we need and want,” he commented. “The citizens I spoke with today on Elk were rightfully frustrated with the events of the past week, and I thank them for sharing their thoughts. That frustration is shared among myself, the council and staff, I’m certain. Hopefully the council will support leaving Elk as-is until the fall so we don’t make a bad situation worse.
“I hope the community will join me in focusing on this wonderful Crested Butte summer, and understand that Elk will be in tip-top shape soon,” Huckstep continued. “I’m disappointed and pretty darn frustrated but I do believe we are adapting to the situation as best we can right now.”
Late Wednesday the decision was made to leave the street as is until the fall.
