Violet Rd. resident has issues with dust control

     There was some discussion concerning dust control efforts on Violet Road during the July 5 Jones County Supervisor meeting. The conversation continued at the July 12 board of supervisors meeting, with resident Gregg Carpenter present.

   Carpenter attested to four times the amount of normal traffic utilizing Violet Road due to the bridge replacement project on Buffalo Road.

   "I applaud the county for spraying the road to help with dust control," thanked Carpenter.

   He also applies his own dust control every year, something he's done for 20 years.

   Carpenter said while Secondary Roads applied dust control (surface stabilization), they bladed the gravel road right after, which he felt negated the whole project.

   Carpenter said when he called the Engineer's Office, he was told it was up to him to apply any further dust control to Violet Road.

   Utilizing a dust control applicator in Oskaloosa, Carpenter said the company wouldn't come to Jones County for just two properties. So, he contacted Supervisors John Schlarmann and Jeff Swisher who contacted a local company to apply dust control. Carpenter thanked the supervisors for their help in the matter.

   "We have no problems now," he reported.

   Carpenter felt it wasn't right that landowners pay for another application of dust control after the county already put their product down and then bladed the roadway.

   "Those are the circumstances and the way it went," he said.

   County Engineer Derek Snead told the board that Secondary Roads is preparing the gravel roads for a second round of dust control.

   "It's typically down by fair week," he said.

   He said he's driven Violet Road several times recently.

   "It's very well knitted together," commented Snead of the magnesium chloride formula. He added that all of the roads that have been a part of the surface stabilization program are performing "approximately the same.

   "I have not noticed dust out there," he added. "We're getting calls about the great shape of the road."

   Before surface stabilization was applied, Snead said Assistant Engineer Todd Postel notified 15 landowners along Violet Road. Those residents encompass bout 4,125 feet of the roadway. Snead said they made the decision to do the entire roadway at 11,500 feet. Letters were again sent out to all residents, detailing the project, the timeline, and notice of additional traffic.

   "Over the last 10 years, we've been trying to grow the program throughout the county," Snead told the board. "This road sees 200 to 250 vehicles a day; timing-wise, it was a good year to implement the product on the road."

   After surface stabilization, Snead said the county saw some heavy rain events.

   "We had edge rutting," Snead said of the edge of the roadway. "So the grader went out." Snead said anytime the roads experience rutting, a motor grader is sent out. "We still need to blade even with dust control down to maintain the edges," he added.

   Snead said other landowners on Violet Road contacted his office about applying dust control. A second application does not hinder the surface stabilization efforts.

   "The two applications do not work against each other."

   He said when Carpenter contacted him about his issue with dust, he was advised the same as others were.

   "We had no issue with him putting dust control down on top of our product."

   Within the Secondary Road dust control policy, Snead said it states in bold type that the county can blade through dust control at any time.

   Swisher was puzzled by the county paying for surface stabilization and then blading through it.

   "It's a benefit to the landowner," Snead said of the road condition.