County will install street barricades in Montana Vista on the 4th

County commissioners are bracing for an expected increase in traffic in the sparsely populated eastern portions of El Paso County for the Fourth of July holiday. Many are expected to head to the desert to shoot off fireworks since no ban was put in place for the county.

“We want to try to limit the access to those neighbors and neighborhoods who requested it,” said County Judge Veronica Escobar, “The next morning, what they have to deal with is just piles of garbage. Unfortunately, there are too many people who don’t pick up after themselves.”

Monday, commissioners voted unanimously to install street barricades restricting access to neighborhoods in Montana Vista and unincorporated areas near Horizon City.

In Montana Vista, the county will install unmanned barricades where Flager, Krag, Vista del Este, and Buntline intersect with Marvin Lane.

Near Loop 375 and I-10, Paseo del Este and Stansbury will be barricaded as well.

The barricades will be unmanned because the bulk of law enforcement will be patrolling other high-traffic areas like Montana Avenue .

Escobar said all agencies involved in the Fourth of July response are being asked to track their extra costs, so a better idea of the total spent can be calculated in the following days.