Mountains
Digging in a Grand County right of way needs Road and Bridge review
A Porch Note from Colorado Porch — plain-English local details for all 64 Colorado counties.
The strip of ground along a Grand County road looks like part of your property, but it usually is not. That edge is a county right of way, and disturbing it carries its own rule.
Digging, boring, excavating, and similar work in a right of way needs a right-of-way use permit. Utility work is the common example. Placing a line in a ditch alongside the road, or reaching utilities that run under the pavement, both count as work in county road space even when the rest of the job sits squarely on private land.
This is easy to overlook on rural projects, because the heavy work often happens at the margins rather than under the house. A new water line, a utility trench, a drainage fix, or grading tied to a driveway can all cross into the road right of way without anyone meaning for them to.
The simplest way to avoid trouble is to settle the question before the equipment shows up or the utility crew is booked: does any part of the work touch a county right of way? Sorting that out early keeps a modest trench from turning into a road repair or a dispute over who tore up the shoulder.
Sources
Official or primary sources used for this note. Local details can change, so confirm before acting.