Side Streets ~ Neighborhood people and issues

Archive for the 'fence' Tag

BLACK AND BROWN BLUR LOOKS LIKE PEACE OF MIND

February 5th, 2012, 11:30 am by

A deer trots along a new 150-foot guardrail installed along Rockrimmon Boulevard by the city behind the homes of Mitch Logue and Donald and Colleen Kunecke.

 

To most motorists flying through the intersection of Vindicator Drive and Rockrimmon Boulevard, the new guardrail along the east side is just a blur of black and brown steel.

And, to be honest, that’s why it was installed.

Most drivers are going way too fast around the corners of the T-shaped intersection to notice. (They are too busy texting their BFFs or eating a triple-cheeseburger or applying makeup.)

But to Mitch Logue and Donald and Colleen Kunecke, the sturdy new 150-foot barrier represents peace of mind and freedom to use their backyards without fear.

It’s something most people take for granted . . . the confidence they won’t get killed in their backyard by Danica Patrick impersonators.

But that’s been a very real threat for Logue and the Kuneckes, who have the misfortune of backing up to the busy intersection, kept hopping morning and night by people racing to the adjacent Safeway Center, or the large apartment complex, or to Eagleview Middle School or commuting to Mountain Shadows and Peregrine.

I drive it daily and routinely see cars accelerating down Vindicator toward its dead-end at Rockrimmon. They turn north, two abreast, tires squealing as the wild-eyed drivers — no doubt listening to 50 Cent on their earbuds  — charge to the next light.

Between the two properties, more than a dozen cars have plowed through their fences and into their yards over the years.

Just one example of the damage Mitch Logue has endured during his years backing up to Rockrimmon Boulevard and Vindicator Drive.

Mitch Logue told me he’s replaced sections of his fence a half-dozen times in 10 years. In July 2009, he spent $3,600 replacing the entire fence. Within days a small SUV smashed through and landed in his yard, taking out a post and slats.

Before the Kuneckes bought their home next-door in 2000, a soda delivery truck came crashing into the yard. Prior to that, a pickup destroyed the fence and slammed into the dining room.

Then, on June 3, 2009, a huge, white sport utility vehicle roared down Vindicator, slammed into two cars waiting at the stoplight, lurched through the intersection, jumped the curb and blasted into the Kunecke’s backyard.

This white SUV wrapped itself around a tree in the Kuneckes' backyard in June 2009 after ramming two cars at the stoplight, plowing through the intersection and exploding through the fence.

“We were getting ready to eat dinner,” Colleen Kunecke told me at the time. “It sounded like an explosion. It scared the hell out of me.”

The SUV ended up wrapped around a tree.

Prehistoric guardrails employed by the Kuneckes to protect themselves in their yard.

To protect themselves, the Kuneckes positioned huge rocks to deflect wayward vehicles.

Both families are happy to finally get some protection from the city.

“Now I’ve got some safe area to work with,” Mitch said last week. “I’m happy.”

And he’s making plans for his yard.

“I’m thinking about putting a greenhouse back there,” he said.

The Kuneckes echoed his satisfaction.

“We were quite surprised,” Donald said. “Now we’ll be protected.”

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SUV INCOMING! LOOK OUT BELOW!!!

May 4th, 2011, 12:56 pm by

Centennial Boulevard climbs north toward the exclusive Peregrine neighborhood past Mountain Shadows, Pinon Valley, Ute Valley Park, Oak Valley Ranch and includes sweeping curves and steep drop-offs in places.

See the missing section of fence in the photo? The house behind is owned by Jeff Pitus

 On Good Friday, his house was knocked off its foundation by an SUV that roared off Centennial Boulevard, smashed through his neighbor’s fence, became airborne and plowed into his deck and retaining wall. 

Two unidentified Colorado Springs firefighters study an SUV that wrecked behind the home of Jeff Pitus on Rising Moon Drive in the Oak Valley Ranch neighborhood. His house backs up to Centennial Boulevard and this SUV is not the first motorist to leave the road.

Check out the rubble left behind after the SUV was winched out of the yard. 

After the SUV was winched out of the yard, Jeff Pitus was left with the aftermath. The damage inside his home is much worse.

Not what you want to see from your bedroom window! 

The SUV is winched up and out of Jeff Pitus' backyard and back onto Centennial Boulevard.

xxx 

Jeff and his neighbor Bryan Bruce say this was not the first time a car smashed through a fence and landed in a yard.

They worry that someone will be killed by a maniacal driver. Their situation is especially dangerous because their houses sit so far below Centennial.

Before tragedy strikes, they want the city to install a guardrail or concrete barrier to deflect traffic back onto Centennial.

Both sides of Centennial have guardrails about 500 yards to the north.

Dave Krauth, city traffic engineer, said guardrail typically costs about $30 a foot and could be an option to protect the neighbors.

The remants of Jeff Pitus' fence along Centennial Boulevard after an SUV was winched out of his backyard. To the left, a new section of fence shows where the SUV left the road behind a neighbor's home. Farther down the road, another new section of fence indicates where another car crashed through about 18 months ago.

The path of a marauding SUV is visible from the smashed fence on the left, the damaged retaining wall and deck on the back of Jeff Pitus' home.

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CAN ANYBODY OUT THERE DRIVE?

July 15th, 2009, 6:38 pm by

Mitch Logue was tired or looking at his patchwork wood privacy fence.

Over the 10 years he has lived on Dillon Circle in the Tamarron neighborhood of Rockrimmon, he’s had to fix his fence frequently because of NASCAR wanna-bes who can’t keep their Goodyears on Rockrimmon Boulevard, which runs behind his house.

So, about six weeks ago, Logue replaced the entire fence for $3,600.

A week or so later, he was facing another patch job. For at least the sixth time in his memory, his fence was smashed by an out-of-control driver.

rockrimmonfence2

This time, it was a young girl in an SUV who told police she was forced off the road by another driver.

The wreck left rubber on the road and curb, chewed up the concrete and left debris strewn on the sidewalk. Inside Logue’s yard were shattered wood slats.

rockrimmonfence3

Logue happens to live at the bottom of a hill where Vindicator Drive meets Rockrimmon. Here’s a look at the neighborhood from www.FlashEarth.com:

loguefence

It’s a busy intersection. Kids use the traffic signals and crosswalks to get to Eagleview Middle School up the hill and to the Safeway shopping center just catty-corner from Logue.

Often, drivers come charging down the hill — dodging folks trying to turn into Safeway or the apartment complex across the curved street. They race to the intersection and fly around the left turn, two abreast, onto Rockrimmon. Unfortunately, they often miss the turn.

When they do, they end up in the backyard of Logue or his next-door neighbors, Colleen and Donald Kunecke. I wrote and blogged about their frustrations in June. Check out the destruction the Kuneckes’ suffered on my blog.

Traffic engineers are studying the intersection but are not keen on the idea of installing guardrails to protect the neighbors.

Maybe Logue should invite them over for a picnic.

In his backyard.

Maybe, they can take their burgers and brats off the grille. And get a side of hot, buttered fender.

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