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Creative solution makes improvements possible
This is the time of year when Cochise County residents in more rural areas groan because of the condition of dirt roads. Regardless of how many times the county grades, each time it rains they are once again full of small canyons and mud.
And that's just the roads in the county system. There are miles of dirt roads that are used by the public but are not part of the county system. Those roads are privately graded, if they are graded at all.
In tough economic times, the county has barely enough money to keep up with their current workload, much less expand to other areas. But there is a new way of dealing with this problem that is gaining traction in northeast Cochise County.
Winchester Heights, an area outside of Willcox also known as La Perra Flaca, is pioneering a new system for dealing with these issues. Winchester Heights is a poor area. Many of the residents are Eurofresh employees or farm workers. The infrastructure is terrible - no paved ,roads, no lighting. It makes life more difficult as well as unsafe. Many of the homes in the area are trailers, and the roads are so bad that the fire department can't respond in a timely manner.
It is a problem that needs solving, and the non-profit La Union del Pueblo (LUDP) has come up with a solution. By forming a non-profit, they have been able to go after sponsors to help pay for repairing the roads and installing lighting. So far they have financial support from Eurofresh, the Cochise Community Fund, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, the Arizona Rural Development Council and the Arizona Community Foundation.
The non-profit is the agency that is bringing in materials to upgrade the roads. Eurofresh is shipping in the road fill and donating man hours to deliver, grade and compact it. Once the road is done and approved by the county, the county will take over future maintenance. It takes the financial onus off of the county, but yields a long-term win-win for all concerned.
Inde Motorsports Ranch outside of Willcox and Apple Annie's are also paying to upgrade roads important to them that will subsequently be transferred to the county.
Difficult times require creative solutions. This is one that bears examination by areas frustrated by road problems.
And that's just the roads in the county system. There are miles of dirt roads that are used by the public but are not part of the county system. Those roads are privately graded, if they are graded at all.
In tough economic times, the county has barely enough money to keep up with their current workload, much less expand to other areas. But there is a new way of dealing with this problem that is gaining traction in northeast Cochise County.
Winchester Heights, an area outside of Willcox also known as La Perra Flaca, is pioneering a new system for dealing with these issues. Winchester Heights is a poor area. Many of the residents are Eurofresh employees or farm workers. The infrastructure is terrible - no paved ,roads, no lighting. It makes life more difficult as well as unsafe. Many of the homes in the area are trailers, and the roads are so bad that the fire department can't respond in a timely manner.
It is a problem that needs solving, and the non-profit La Union del Pueblo (LUDP) has come up with a solution. By forming a non-profit, they have been able to go after sponsors to help pay for repairing the roads and installing lighting. So far they have financial support from Eurofresh, the Cochise Community Fund, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, the Arizona Rural Development Council and the Arizona Community Foundation.
The non-profit is the agency that is bringing in materials to upgrade the roads. Eurofresh is shipping in the road fill and donating man hours to deliver, grade and compact it. Once the road is done and approved by the county, the county will take over future maintenance. It takes the financial onus off of the county, but yields a long-term win-win for all concerned.
Inde Motorsports Ranch outside of Willcox and Apple Annie's are also paying to upgrade roads important to them that will subsequently be transferred to the county.
Difficult times require creative solutions. This is one that bears examination by areas frustrated by road problems.
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