GRIND AND GRAVEL DUST CONCERNS
The Spring of 2021 has provided many construction complications including drought conditions. Due to the lack of rainfall and high temperatures, Berrien County is suffering greatly with dry conditions.
Traditionally, construction improvement projects that have road surfaces ground and graveled in the Spring (April – June) are prime and sealcoated in the Summer (June - August). Normal grind, gravel, prime and double seal projects benefit from normal Spring weather. Spring rainfall usually provides moisture which aids in road compaction. This year, rainfall has been rare, which has led to gravel becoming dry quickly and the potential for dust complaints.
Staff have been working as efficiently as possible on these road improvement projects. Despite the dry, dusty conditions, BCRD maintenance staff have developed a temporary solution for this situation. Until staff are able to prime and double seal all of the roads scheduled for 2021, crews will be facilitating the application of a dust control solution to these graveled roads. This solution will be applied in a 14 foot area down the center of the road. This will help provide additional stability to the new gravel under these extreme conditions.
This will also help provide some relief to nearby residents and property owners without compromising future steps in the remaining grind, gravel, prime and double sealcoating process. If you have questions you are encouraged to contact the Road Department offices at the number listed above.
Project road locations anticipated to receive this dust control treatment:
- Rockey Weed Road between Totzke Road to Hollywood Road (Royalton Township)
- Mill Road between Warren Woods Road to Hanover Road (Weesaw Township)
- Brown Road between W. East Road to the railroad crossing (Chikaming Township)
- Wilson Road between Brown Road to end (Chikaming Township)
- Locke Road between Union Pier Road to Red Arrow Highway (Chikaming Township)
- Old M-60 between Behner Road to the city limits (New Buffalo Township)
- Buffalo Road between Nye Road to Hampton Road (Galien Township)
- Curran Road between Dayton Road to Spirea Road (Bertrand Township)
- York Road between Bertrand Road to the state line (Bertrand Township)
One page PDF
Link to construction map of grind and gravel projects