Departments :: Public Works Department

Policy on Dust Abatement for Wasco County Roads

June, 2000

Background: During the past five years Wasco County Public Works has been repeatedly asked to place dust retarding materials on gravel roads in several areas of the County, specifically:

It is painfully apparent that the county does not have resources to place dust abatement on our entire road system, at an annual cost of $1.2 million. We have conferred with several other Eastern Oregon counties who do limited dust abatement. Programs vary widely, with most of these counties doing very limited "user pays" dust abatement.

We've been told lignin-based products are the most effective non-corrosive materials for use on dusty roads. Many counties participate by grading and watering the roads while charging the landowners for the application of the lignin.

Lignin, to be effective must be applied annually. Three years after the initial application seems to be when it becomes most effective, this is when it accumulates into a "mat". Wasco County has, in the past, made the following offer to all parties who have inquired:

Past unwritten "policy": Wasco County is willing to work with individuals, or preferably neighborhood associations, to put lignin on county roads. The County will blade and heavily water the road just ahead of the application. The actual lignin application is done by a private applicator, the cost of which is borne by the private landowner requesting the service. Thus, the County's involvement is road preparation and management of the program.

Recent requests:

  1. On April 24, 2000, the Hood River/Proctor Road neighbors met with the county and asked the County to pay for a trial application on Hood River and Proctor Roads. They appear willing to pay for future applications, but not for an initial application of untried material about which they know very little.
  2. This past winter the Western Horizon folks who operate the resort area on Vensel Road requested pavement or other dust control.

The Problem:
The County's problem is that we have roughly 400 miles of gravel road, all of which is miserable for driving upon in the dead of summer. It must be emphatically noted the county has never promised improvement to gravel county roads. Prospective buyers of property served by gravel roads have been counseled by Wasco County for more than a decade not to expect any improvements. Indeed, in today's financially constrained situation we have 60% of the workforce of a decade ago to maintain the same road system.

So, whatever we plan to do for residents on one road we must be prepared to do for residents on other roads. In general, we can only afford to continue dry-blading in late summer, in conjunction with sporadic watering.

Trial Policy:
On gravel roads with average daily traffic greater than 100, the County's temporary policy shall be to place lignin, on a trial basis and at County expense, on requested roads. At this time only the following roads are included:

  1. A portion of Vensel Road and Behrens Road (from the end of the pavement at Carroll Road to the resort)
  2. A portion of Hood River Road (from the end of the pavement to Proctor Rd.)

We are stating here and now that this is a one time, one year only application, subject to monitoring for performance. This in no way obligates the County to apply lignin again in the future.

On gravel roads with average daily traffic less than 100, the original offer made by the County, of preparing and watering for private applications paid for by adjacent landowners, still remains. There must be, of course, enough demand to interest a private applicator to come to our county.