What to Put on a Gravel Road to Control Dust

[ultrarunner]

A private dirt road serving many homes was an easement between two properties.

The summer dust became a problem so my friend set up a watering system that keep the road moist and eliminated the dust… they had unlimited spring water.

This went on for about 10 years until owners got together to pave…

 

[jyoutz]

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.

My comment is still true. Paper mills are dwindling around the country.

 

[jyoutz]

Y

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

Yep, that’s still one of the few bright spots in the paper industry, also cardboard boxes.

 

[bigtiller]

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.

Yes it dose, when it is freshly applied, kinda....After a few minutes the liquid is absorbed by the gravel fines.

Soap and water will take it right off with no scrubbing.

 

[ultrarunner]

My comment is still true. Paper mills are dwindling around the country.

I wonder if higher import costs will reverse that?

 

[mapper]

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 |

My folks used that when I was growing up, got it free at the pulp mill where dad worked. Only catch was you needed a tank and spreader to use it. Some neighbors got together and set one up, used a truck from another neighbor who was a contractor to haul it. Stuff looked like red syrup coming out of the spreador bar.

 

[paulsharvey]

So, we got maybe 0.1" of rain, maybe 0.2" early morning, first rain in 3 weeks. So, I decided to grade the private road from the house towards main road, while there was some moisture. Anyways, slicked it up a bit, but to a large degree, it's just moving sand, and there isn't any "fixing" it, without adding clay or rock.

Anyways almost done, and a guy comes hauling butt around, ans it kinda made me think, why bother

 

[scootr]

I did 25 yrs of road maintenance where I live now. Mostly consisted of removing washboard created by fast moving vehicles. Problem is the smoother you make it the faster people drive, and the quicker the washboard reappears. There are 12 homes on this road, 8 homes have tractors. My neighbor tried his hand on the road grading with his new tractor, naturally he suked. Used the wrong tool at the wrong time. But I wasn't about to complain. I just quiet quit. Let somebody else do it for awhile. Neighbors won't ante up for new material when needed. I tired of paying and doing the work.
We will see how this goes. I used to have a neighbor friend who was good on a tractor help but he moved away 5 years ago. I don't drive as much as I used to ... community roads are a source of aggravation.

 

[ultrarunner]

So, we got maybe 0.1" of rain, maybe 0.2" early morning, first rain in 3 weeks. So, I decided to grade the private road from the house towards main road, while there was some moisture. Anyways, slicked it up a bit, but to a large degree, it's just moving sand, and there isn't any "fixing" it, without adding clay or rock.

Anyways almost done, and a guy comes hauling butt around, ans it kinda made me think, why bother

Sometimes the ruts and potholes are a blessing…

 

[paulsharvey]

Our road, we are like the 7th home back, and roughly 30ish total homes use the road, including one roofing company and a wild life/exotic animal place. So, figure in the neighborhood of 150 trips per day.

To make matters worse, it's the main spur, with additional roads coming off of it, and technically one additional outlet, but its Bad. Like buggy or good ground clearance, 4x4 only kinda bad. All private. There used to be a Property Owners Association that collected money for maintenance; but its defunct now; and from what I've heard, they did a crap job, never sure how the money was spent, ect.

Being 100% private, just easements, there is no reason for the county to take ownership, and on top of that, I am the county boarder with the next county north. So, why would my county maintain a road to benefit mostly people from an enemy county?

Then, add to that 2-3 Amazon drivers, UPS, USPS, Kroger, ect, that don't care at all about being up the vehicle

 

[paulsharvey]

Then, if you do have a group fund to maintain the road, that's not cheap. Forgetting any additional material, just having a grader come out once per 3 months; that's $10,000/year. Even divided between 50 homes; that's $200 to just grade. Then, really, just to maintain 1 mile, you probably would figure atleast 3 loads of material per year, just to Maintain; not improve; at $475/load.

Also, as someone else brought up, there are sometimes folks who mean well, that end up making more of a mess than they fix.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Then, add to that 2-3 Amazon drivers, UPS, USPS, Kroger, ect, that don't care at all about being up the vehicle

Fedex is the worst! I swear the driver here goes around the curves on two wheels and tries to get the truck airborne when going over the potholes. No wonder they deliver so many busted parcels!

 

[Torvy]

I'd probably do my driveway and the road from mine up to the next guy.

Pave it with something...asphalt, tar and chip, concrete, or even just rock and fines. If it's about money, do it in phases.

If your neighbors want it, let them pay their share and you can maintain it.

 

[paulsharvey]

On speed, I do to some degree understand; you are going 30 or so, you hit the soft spots, and let off the gas, you drift right through. It also Feels like a smoother ride on wash boards. I was guilty if it when I was a teenager. Now, I realize that extra 30 seconds to make it out to the paved road is worth it to avoid the abuse on my vehicle.

With sugar sand, the one thing you never want to do is come to a stop; or spin; cause there isn't anything to grab

 

[paulsharvey]

So, some quick reading on the LDC of a neighboring county, on dedication of a private road to County. There is some stuff about either a majority or 2/3rd vote; clean title, drainage, environmental study, ect. But they Key point, the community establish an escrow account, and deposit funds required to bring the road up to current standards. Most of the phrasing implying the HOA (or other controlling agency) donates the road; so, dealing with dozens of individuals would be much worse. It did also include some language about the ability to accept substandard roads, with a study of probably cost ti bring up to standard, and a special assessment to each property.

IE; most likely 2-12 ft lanes (some might allow 20/22 ft), likely 6" base, 1.5" asphalt, repair any pot holes, ect. Then, often now the LDC would require a sidewalk, as well as 4 ft grass shoulder, and a 4:1 ditch; side drains (culverts) at driveways, ect.

On width; when I worked for the county south of me, 16 ft road, we stripped stop bar only at end; 18 ft, we did centerline, but no edgelines; 20 ft+, we did whole treatment, double yellow, and white edge lines.

 

[5030]

Without reading the entire thread, not sure if it was mentioned but... around here, we use brine as well as liquid CACL.

Brine is readily available here and cheap as in next to nothing and we buy CACL by the bag, mix it with water and spray it on the road. We usually spray on brine followed by a light coat of liquid CACL (which is expensive to use straight) but cheap when light sprayed over the brine.

 

[paulsharvey]

Then, we end up with the issue of let's say you do have a nice rural, dead end road, with multiple vacant properties down it. You know dang well that's an open invite to everyone to dump their trash, unwanted dogs, ride atvs on vacant property, do donuts, ect. It also becomes a good place fir clandestine meet ups; or in the past, if straight, a great place to land Columbian powder imports.

 

[paulsharvey]

LDC= Land Development Code, BTW

 

[5030]

Then, we end up with the issue of let's say you do have a nice rural, dead end road, with multiple vacant properties down it. You know dang well that's an open invite to everyone to dump their trash, unwanted dogs, ride atvs on vacant property, do donuts, ect. It also becomes a good place fir clandestine meet ups; or in the past, if straight, a great place to land Columbian powder imports.

Don't have that issue here, I'm always packing... Besides everyone around here knows I'm nucking futz.

 

[MoArk Willy]

We called them "oil roads" when I was young.

There is an interesting story about just that....when the wrong oil is used.

A Town, a Flood, and Superfund: Looking Back at the Times Beach Disaster Nearly 40 Years Later | US EPA

Times Beach, Missouri, was the site of one of the worst environmental disasters in our nation’s history.

www.epa.gov