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Trinidad, Colorado: News -Permit status at bridge remains perplexing <br />make any heavy equipment operator hesitant. <br />Jackie Hall is the access manager for Region 2 of the <br />Colorado Department of Transportation. She deals with <br />permits to access public roadways. Her office is in Pueblo. <br />'1 haven't found any current permits issued in Lorencito's <br />name," she said last week after she returned from holidays. <br />"I can tell you that right now because I have been looking <br />since mid-December when the first phone calls started <br />coming to this office from residents in that area." <br />"1've found an expired temporary permit issued several <br />years ago to San Isabel [Electric] to carry power poles, but <br />that's it," she said. "1've already talked to Lorencito, that <br />was also in mid-December, and told them they cannot <br />continue withom a permit, that they are not allowed to <br />cross the river to access Highway 12." <br />Jerry Lutz is Hall's resident maintenance foreman for the <br />area. Lutz also knew right away which river crossing was <br />being talked above. "Thars the crossing just east of the <br />bridge," he said. "Sure, that 'driveway' was made about 16 <br />years ago and it's been used off and on for the gas wells," <br />he said "Anyway, there is a permit here someplace." <br />As he talked on the phone, Lutz said he was digging <br />through paperwork. "1 Found it," he said. "Permit number <br />297065, made out to Lorencito Coal in 1997 (the }'ear <br />Lorencito first began applying for, and then abandoned <br />their application Fur a county special use permiQ... and <br />there's another one here, too," said Lutz. "It's a low volume <br />tral7ic permit for gas pipe made out to Hill." <br />Asked why he could find such permits and records when <br />Jackie Hall could not. Lutz said, "Oh, they had a hood in <br />that office some years ago and lost a lot of papers." <br />And Lutz had more information, as well. "That bridge is in <br />a dangerous place. II's always been dangerous," he said, <br />"but this spring a contract is being let to have turning lanes <br />at the west edge and straighten the road out from just by <br />Lorencito. <br />Page 2 of 5 <br />http://www.trinidadco.com/stories2002/news/Ol/08/bridQin;?.html 01/16/2002 <br />