EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — We often see makeshift memorials created along local roads, streets and highways where loved ones died in vehicle crashes, and many friends and relatives take pride and find comfort in those creations.
However, El Paso County officials say that the collection of crosses, photos, flowers, stuffed animals and other items, pose a concern because there is no policy to manage them, maintain them and keep them consistent.
The county is in its second week of a new policy approved by commissioners to address that concern — a policy that many local governments already have.
Joshua Palmer, the county’s chief engineer, said that the policy helps the county remain accredited by the American Public Works Association.
“There’s hundreds of different items that (we) had to go through and determine, ” he explained. “Do you have a policy? If you do, does it need to be updated? How does it apply? You need to improve it.”
Currently, a citizen is not required to register for creating a memorial, to seek permission to do so, or to pay for establishing and maintaining it.
The new policy requires a citizen to submit an application; if it’s approved by the county’s chief engineer, the applicant must pay a $100 fee and receive a blue, personal sign for the lost loved one that will remain at an approved location for five years.
County employees will make and install the sign, return it if it has to be moved for roadside work, and replace it if it becomes damaged…