Facts of county road programs outlined

Bonner County Road & Bridge’s dust control and road stabilization program includes 226 miles or 59 percent of county-maintained gravel roads.

Gravel is stabilized to reduce routine maintenance. This also reduces fugitive dust by 50 percent to 80 percent — 100-percent dust elimination is not feasible.

Product is typically applied by Road & Bridge crews during late May and early June. 2015 has proven to be a drier spring therefore has resulted in an earlier start of application. This product must last all summer without re-application. Rain over 0.10 inches helps rejuvenate dust control.

Due to budget constraints, roads must have over 100 average daily traffic counts to be considered for the program. Road & Bridge conducts formal traffic counts annually where deemed necessary. That amount of vehicles wears down gravel causing a 10-year rehabilitation cycle. Annual dust control cost is about equal to replacement gravel cost. Tax dollars are spent effectively.

County maintained gravel roads not in the program may receive dust control at the expense of private parties (not taxpayers). Residents may hire a licensed and bonded contractor to apply dust control. Contractors must secure a permit from Road & Bridge prior to applying dust control on county-maintained gravel roads.

You can contact Road & Bridge for a list of authorized contractors. Email your request to roads@bonnercountyid.gov.

Road & Bridge cannot be hired to apply dust control for private parties.

Privately-maintained roads are NOT eligible for the Road & Bridge dust control program. If Road & Bridge does not plow snow off your road, then we will not apply dust control on your road.

Gordon Bates is the director of Bonner County Road & Bridge. He can be reached at 208-255-5681.