What to Put on a Gravel Road to Control Dust

[ultrarunner]

In Olympia I’m at the end of a gravel road and every spring I would wheel barrow rock and tamp pot holes…

The sad part was my BX23 was 850 miles away!

I offered to pay the owner for upkeep but he declined and that went for having some extra rock delivered but he was most appreciative of fill and tamping the potholes…

Sadly he passed last year at 85 and I have yet to meet the new owner… home was on the market one day…

 

[bdhsfz6]

Also, you mentioned property values. Unless you are actively trying to sell, you want your value as low as possible, for lower insurance and lower taxes. Then, when starting the sale plan, maybe you do spend a few hundred on the road, but until then, you're not helping yourself.

I think the property value issue varies with location. Around here anyway, property reassessments for tax purposes are done every 20 years or so. Unless it's a reassessment year, how your place looks has little to do with taxes. It does make a difference if you're trying to borrow money using the land as collateral though.

Again, I'm sure this varies depending on where you live but here, if your place looks like a dump, your insurance rates are higher. If it looks bad enough, the insurance company will refuse to write a policy.

A decade or so ago, a development across the valley had an issue with their private road. No one wanted to pay for maintenance and there were no homeowners with the expertise or equipment to do it. The road got so bad, everyone needed 4WD vehicles to get in and out. USPS, UPS and others, refused to make deliveries. Several homeowner policies were cancelled due to the lack of police, fire and ambulance access. Some moved away and took a beating on the resale. The ones who stayed eventually got together and paid a contractor to do road work.

Until the land development laws are changed in this county, anyone building on a privately maintained road does so at their own peril.

 

[paulsharvey]

"Until the land development laws are changed in this county, anyone building on a privately maintained road does so at their own peril."

Here, I believe the new max is 3 homes on an easement, and I think it's a 40 ft min width Now, I'm sure there are exemptions for private, community maintained, though an HOA, POA, PUD, ect organization.

I think they are wanting to move more towards MSTU/MSBU set up. Municipal Service Taxing Unit; IE, county, generally rural residential, but you pay additional taxes for the higher level of service, such as roads, a local fire station, increased LEO patrols, ect. You want your MSTU road paved, fine, 66% vote for it, they pave it, and you get a special assessment tax of $15,000; with the choice of paying $15,000 now; $8000 this year and next; or a tax lean and eventually forced sale... The down side; you don't want it paved, and you can't afford it, but it passes anyways, there goes your house...

The problem is many of these subdivisions, locally, where platted and all in the 70s; and nothing ever built. So, they don't have much planning

 

[LouNY]

"Until the land development laws are changed in this county, anyone building on a privately maintained road does so at their own peril."

Here, I believe the new max is 3 homes on an easement, and I think it's a 40 ft min width Now, I'm sure there are exemptions for private, community maintained, though an HOA, POA, PUD, ect organization.

I think they are wanting to move more towards MSTU/MSBU set up. Municipal Service Taxing Unit; IE, county, generally rural residential, but you pay additional taxes for the higher level of service, such as roads, a local fire station, increased LEO patrols, ect. You want your MSTU road paved, fine, 66% vote for it, they pave it, and you get a special assessment tax of $15,000; with the choice of paying $15,000 now; $8000 this year and next; or a tax lean and eventually forced sale... The down side; you don't want it paved, and you can't afford it, but it passes anyways, there goes your house...

The problem is many of these subdivisions, locally, where platted and all in the 70s; and nothing ever built. So, they don't have much planning

"Planning" is governmental control by unelected bureaucratic twits.

 

[paulsharvey]

"Planning" is governmental control by unelected bureaucratic twits.

Yeah, but its not without its place.

 

[paulsharvey]

So, forgive the AI response, I'm not posting out of laziness, I'm posting it because it brings up a product I'd never heard of, and am unfamiliar with. I dont vouch for it being effective or anything, but it might be worth doing a couple minutes of "google-fu" on.

Lignin Sulfonate:** A byproduct of paper mills, binds dust for 6–12 months. Check local availability from paper mills for bulk discounts.

# **Cost Comparison Table**
| Method | Cost per Mile (Est.) | Duration | Notes |
|----------------------|----------------------|----------------|----------------------------------------|
| Salt Brine | $50–$100 | 2–4 weeks | DIY-friendly, low environmental risk |
| Lignin Sulfonate | $300–$800 | 6–12 months | Bulk discounts possible |
| Molasses Spray | $100–$200 | 1–2 months | Biodegradable, sticky residue |
| Gravel Fines Addition| $200–$500 | 6–12 months | Requires regrading |
| Enzyme Stabilizers | $500–$1,500 | 6–12 months | Eco-friendly, long-term |

 

[paulsharvey]

Now, in my experience, something like a paper mill is unlikely to deal with a private citizen, and they very well might want to control their waste stream cradle to grave for liability reasons. I just have trouble seeing a regular guy calling Georgia Pacific and asking about getting a IBC tote or a 500 gal water Buffalo (small tanker trailer), of a digester waste product....

 

[deezler]

Sounds like some speed bumps would cut down the dust, haha.

Dust control is part of why I like to have clean washed stone as my driveway surface. The fines are the dust. Washed stone isn't nearly as dusty when dry. But I am lucky, only my own house on my 1000' mile driveway. We just keep it to 10mph.

 

[Topzide]

A 2/3 majority on paving a road that puts you in a higher tax situation doesn't fly in most areas. You would need 100% agreement on making that change. Have seen that battle take place around me. Then there is the other problem that if it's a dead-end road, it must have a cul-de-sac for the turnaround area. If that is not platted, who will lose property to make it possible? There are lots of variables on issues like that. Most issue like this have deed attachments that state owners are responsible for maintaining from their property to allow free and clear access at all times and at their own expense.
Another product for dirt lanes/roads is Perma-Zyme. Has a lot of uses beside just roads. Something else to look at.

 

[paulsharvey]

A 2/3 majority on paving a road that puts you in a higher tax situation doesn't fly in most areas. You would need 100% agreement on making that change. Have seen that battle take place around me. Then there is the other problem that if it's a dead-end road, it must have a cul-de-sac for the turnaround area. If that is not platted, who will lose property to make it possible? There are lots of variables on issues like that. Most issue like this have deed attachments that state owners are responsible for maintaining from their property to allow free and clear access at all times and at their own expense.
Another product for dirt lanes/roads is Perma-Zyme. Has a lot of uses beside just roads. Something else to look at.

In some MSBU/MSTU, it only requires a simple majority.

On easements, as always it varies a Lot, but often/i would almost say Generally, you only Allow the access, you have no obligation to maintain

 

[bigtiller]

paulsharvey​

Lignin Sulfonate:** A byproduct of paper mills, binds dust for 6–12 months. Check local availability from paper mills for bulk discounts.

Lignin Sulfonate, sometimes nicknamed tree sap.

I used it for a few years and really liked it. It worked just as good as any of the salt brines that other companies applied. The best thing about it - it is not a salt based product. I would still be using it but the guy that owned the company that applied it, moved far away and he didn't want to drive that far. There are plenty of gravel roads here in Iowa, his business will be just fine where ever he lands.

 

[jyoutz]

Now, in my experience, something like a paper mill is unlikely to deal with a private citizen, and they very well might want to control their waste stream cradle to grave for liability reasons. I just have trouble seeing a regular guy calling Georgia Pacific and asking about getting a IBC tote or a 500 gal water Buffalo (small tanker trailer), of a digester waste product....

And paper mills are dwindling around the country. There are far fewer now than 20 years ago.

 

[paulsharvey]

Some very quick googling, found it is also used as an admixture in concrete. I also found one source direct from China, at $450-800/ton of dry powder mix. I have to think there is a supplier available that sells 50# bags of dry mix; then rig up an IBC tote with a small pump and 12 ft pvc spray bar, with a recirculation pump for mixing.

 

[paulsharvey]

Apparently it is also used to help animal feed pellets bind? At a rate of 10-25#/ton.

So, it is a long shot, but if feed mills are buying it, they might be willing to vendor the material?

I'm gonna go ahead and say, I'm spit balling here, and don't know.

 

[ultrarunner]

And paper mills are dwindling around the country. There are far fewer now than 20 years ago.

The big one in the SF Bay Area with deep water doc, steam turbine power plant to cover several cities, rail lines, etc. all gone and not because it ever lost money… gone because management wanted out from California and the same for refineries with another giving notice of pending closure… not sure who will make the special required California blend?

 

[jyoutz]

The big one in the SF Bay Area with deep water doc, steam turbine power plant to cover several cities, rail lines, etc. all gone and not because it ever lost money… gone because management wanted out from California and the same for refineries with another giving notice of pending closure… not sure who will make the special required California blend?

The paper industry is retracting nationwide. There is no demand for newsprint and other paper products are also in less demand due to the digital age. Paper mills are shutting down everywhere except for those designed for TP and other specialty paper and cardboard boxes.

 

[ultrarunner]

The paper industry is retracting nationwide. There is no demand for newsprint and other paper products are also in less demand due to the digital age. Paper mills are shutting down everywhere except for those designed for TP and other specialty paper and cardboard boxes.

Gaylord Container Corporation - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

The mill had shifted to cardboard and never had a bad month…

The 65 MW power generation was exemplary.

Gaylord looked at the locations as and decided it did not need to be in California…

Years ago it was Crown Zellerbach… and after Inland Temple.

 

[paulsharvey]

The paper industry is retracting nationwide. There is no demand for newsprint and other paper products are also in less demand due to the digital age. Paper mills are shutting down everywhere except for those designed for TP and other specialty paper and cardboard boxes.

Our local paper mills is spending $83m expanding. It's primary product is toilet paper and paper towels.

 

[paulsharvey]

But, regardless of the paper mill aspect, feed mills, concrete suppliers, or direct import might be an option.

Maybe something like granger, Hughes supply, or maybe an ag fertilizer supplier?

 

[ning]

Sounds like the lignin sulfonate is a bit messy and leaves tar-like deposits on equipment.

I saw also a reference to something called "Envirokleen" which is apparently also called "SynTech EDC®" (link, $723/275g tote)
"Application Rates: Depending on surface conditions and the goals of the application; typical application rates will vary from 0.10—0.50 gallons of concentrated per square yard"

If it's 11,725 sq yds, that's definitely a lot of money ($3k-$15k) for the whole road, but if you can knock that down to a 1000' section of the road, it's $500-$2.5k.

Other sources on the web quote "0.375l/m2 for normal conditions, 0.5 heavy duty, 0.7 extreme" (eg mining); sounds like 0.1 gallon/yard is "normal conditions" which a shared driveway is likely to be; "can be effective for six months or more with just one application. It is UV resistant to prevent deterioration and does not break down when wet"

I have no idea if you can buy it in relatively small quantities, but that link above does sell it in barrel sizes so maybe.