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| Mesa County Road and Bridge crews apply Earthbind on 10 Road for dust control. |
The Mesa County Dust Control Program is underway on county gravel roads starting in District A, which encompasses Appleton, Fruita, Glade Park, Loma, Mack, and the Redlands. Soon dust control application will move on to Districts B and C.
District B covers Clifton, Fruitvale, Gateway, Orchard Mesa, Palisade, and Whitewater. District C is in the high country, and it includes Collbran, De Beque, Mesa, and Plateau Valley.
The application of dust control on county gravel roads is used as a dust suppressant or stabilizer for roads.
Dust control is typically applied in late spring and early summer. Each year a list of roads is identified, and a program is developed. This year, about 407,000 gallons of dust control will be applied.
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| Dust control is currently underway in District A. Earthbind is applied to combat fugitive dust and to stabilize the road surface. |
During a dust control project, all vehicles must be removed from the street so that there are no obstructions. The road is then prepared by grading and adding gravel where needed.
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| Mesa County Road and Bridge crews apply Earthbind on 10 Road for dust control. |
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| The dust control suppressant bubbles as it is absorbed into the gravel road. |
Mesa County maintains over 700 miles of gravel or dirt surfaced roads. When traffic counts reach 150 vehicle trips per day, Road and Bridge crews evaluate and consider treating those roads with a dust palliative to reduce fugitive dust.
Dust treatment substantially reduces fugitive dust on gravel roads for up to one year from the date of application. While dust is reduced during dry periods, the procedure does not reduce muddy conditions when wet. The road surface will dry out and compact to a good driving surface within a few hours following a rainstorm or snowfall.
Subsequent treatments may be applied annually to maintain the effectiveness of the product.
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| Pictured: 10 Road after both lanes have been treated with dust control to combat fugitive dust and to stabilize the road surface. |
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| Almost 24 hours after being treated with dust control, 8 Road looks slightly darker in color as the ground begins to cure. |
Mesa County, may at its option, apply dust control to roads having lesser traffic volumes where streets have steep grades and/or curves that require stabilization, thus reducing the frequency of maintenance.
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| 7 Road was treated with dust control, and it will take approximately three days to cure. |
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| M 1/4 Road gets treated with Earthbind, a dust control product. |
This year, crews are using Earthbind, a dust control product that helps with gravel road maintenance reducing about 60% of future prep work after the initial application, which saves Mesa County money and time and provides a cleaner, longer-lasting product.
