Infrastructure law doling out money to pave subdivisions

Boulder County is at long last getting funds to pave orphaned subdivision roads. Money from the federal infrastructure law is being filtered through the county and distributed to individuals so they can pave the section of road in front of their residence.

Funds are available to homeowners and tenants who live outside Boulder city limits. The exception is those who live on a major artery or school bus route. The county is already doing road repairs on those streets if, and only if, there is a pothole large enough to swallow a first-grader.

The amount of money distributed to each resident will vary. The county has created a worksheet to determine the exact cost of repaving the section of road in front of each home. It starts with the assessed value of the home, per the 2019 assessment (pre-pandemic), divided by the length of the subdivision road (in meters), then multiplied by the number of residents in the house (minus pets).

Once that simple calculation has been made and approved by the new Board of Paving, the county will provide the resident with a list of approved contractors. If a person is especially handy they can do the work themselves, but they will only receive half the money. Why half and not double?

"Contractors need to get paid more so they have ample funds to do, re-do and delay work as they are accustomed to doing," said Procurement Specialist Phil Outforms.

Do-it-yourselfers can rent jackhammers, dump trucks, cones, metric measuring tape, rollers and smashers at Niwot Rental and Stuff. Asphalt and road base will be delivered for free to each successful applicant by the county. Sign up at http://www.BoulderCounty.gov/assphalt.