[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6585711,"mediaKeyId","5600981-ee9e2c6a06c8be9cfc47d9f95b9dd154","parentId",5600981,"title","Chip shortage forces Cochise County to scale back chip-seal plans for Kansas Settlement","audioSeconds",442,"startMs",478000,"endMs",920000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5600981-ee9e2c6a06c8be9cfc47d9f95b9dd154&start=478&end=920","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5600981-ee9e2c6a06c8be9cfc47d9f95b9dd154/thumbnail_478000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6585711/Cochise-County/Arizona/Chip-shortage-forces-Cochise-County-to-scale-back-chip-seal-plans-for-Kansas-Settlement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6585711-6c894ddb7e71113c486b8b32741b99ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1775359820&Signature=AChNIBl2hVo3t0uijvhvU10qG~~W44Y23nxlIVbQXoahYOLRgAMTTeSAolY8lGHOmkdBaST8Yqd2UMIl8s7DVq0J9cSI3cIa~WOJgbIU9xWspiqrrmFIjl56R8318cLCGUsfuBJNh~3gxM-dpQ1IsadolbNwfQfqwt8yZoxlodBaJGkhwwwO1~my1tPh-puraTXuAEjDP4rcifroYSnooDw~z~kR0z8v53ZqaNNroewNhPgfuXxcHVD0-BhhxRYA8VgRamyd7EFo5zSZ~MtanQ~NcW7wg32094hiM-hKqPRnspldhS3r8GQnt9UwAsu7QRsb7Odlw1fE06q1Yzf0dg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cochise County","date","2025-08-19T23:50:23.177Z","article","Cochise County public works staff told the Board of Supervisors on Aug. 19 that an ongoing shortage of crushed rock \"chip\" material will force the county to scale back a planned two-layer chip seal on Kansas Settlement Road to a single layer this year.

\"I just got word today from Fred that the supplier that is supplying us with chips... is done. Like, they have maxed out what they can do, so we're only gonna get enough material to chip Kansas Settlement on one layer,\" said Jason, a public works staff member who briefed supervisors on the department's quarterly work plan and procurement status.

What staff said
The county has relied heavily on materials from a local supplier identified in the transcript as Maddox (\"Maddox and Sons\") and has previously purchased several thousand tons of chip material; Jason said Maddox told staff it is running out of material and cannot supply the planned quantity for the remainder of the year. Staff said the county had stockpiled some chip material at several locations and that stockpiles would be used to prioritize critical roads, but the shortage will limit the program's ability to complete two-layer seals in all planned areas.

Alternatives under consideration
Staff and supervisors discussed options including: sourcing chips from higher-cost producers (Texas Canyon and a supplier in Safford were mentioned, both with higher trucking or material costs), exploring whether other local suppliers can be helped to meet spec, and buying or leasing a wash plant to clean lower-spec chips so they meet engineering requirements. \"If we bought chip from Wilcox Rock and Sand and we washed it, potentially... that material would pass,\" Jason said. Another option raised was leasing a wash plant to a local producer so material could be processed locally.

Budget and operational impact
The county's stated chip-seal goal is roughly 70 miles per year; staff reported that last fiscal year they re-chip-sealed about 71.15 miles and, with contracted work included, about 107.97 miles. The supplier shortage means some roads scheduled for two-layer chip seals will receive a single layer in 2025, and staff warned that if the shortage persists next year it could reduce overall miles sealed. Staff said asphalt (hot mix) is substantially more expensive than chip seal; rough figures discussed at the meeting were on the order of about $1 million per mile for asphalt versus roughly $25,000–$30,000 per mile for chip seal (staff described these as rough comparative figures).

Next steps
Public works staff said they will use existing stockpiles where appropriate, pursue conversations with alternative suppliers, and examine the feasibility and cost of washing local material. Staff also said they would continue planned hot-mix patching and other preservation work and would schedule Kansas Settlement for a single-layer chip seal this year with the intention of catching up next year if supplier capacity returns. No policy change or contract award occurred during the work session; supervisors asked staff to report back with supplier options and cost implications before the board commits to large procurement changes.

Speakers quoted or referenced are listed below.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","20250819 Work Session County Roads","oneSentenceSummary","Public works staff told the Board of Supervisors that a primary chip supplier has run out of material, forcing the county to reduce a planned two-layer chip seal on Kansas Settlement to a single layer and to explore alternative suppliers and wash-plant options.","taxTitle","Cochise County, Arizona","taxId",27859,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6585714,"Cochise County supervisors open review of road add/drop policy, schedule public hearings",410,128000,538000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5600981-ee9e2c6a06c8be9cfc47d9f95b9dd154&start=128&end=538","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5600981-ee9e2c6a06c8be9cfc47d9f95b9dd154/thumbnail_128000.jpg","/articles/6585714/Cochise-County/Arizona/Cochise-County-supervisors-open-review-of-road-adddrop-policy-schedule-public-hearings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6585714-4ebb430f222fe809e3e091790a2d8d07/orig.mp4?Expires=1775359820&Signature=WnBy6G6ptVoH3lsn-pUD17nbMVvB27y2Hmj~x~pMNMwLjafhCqL6JBJIPG3cSZYNoGGfcCkj2TJqOS2CbQAGKFYLb7LuZFKnoccmO12z~yGDItYK32Q9p~NWIQN0RmWP3-WkITLy1WJ44~PrFo9QBfED7~mzzsfYpB7lL2afRaFeX~kbayHeHqqVK8Zv0oVPEMhpe87ROJUhDy3o6-F3LXKwSWOKokGDmqcZFhS8hXzh7z9YNp~jbRA2dJr8XfRNGRRf-Fx8YCT3b6CNTtz8r06fW-rmhIpZ3aFzRNJ0qgVpsJ3QKCjErHXFfgwHujUQmgUWfbiZhWn4k31NRrABoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Cochise County Board of Supervisors members on Tuesday reviewed a staff proposal to apply formal criteria for adding roads to — or removing roads from — the county maintenance system and agreed to notify affected residents and hold public hearings before the board votes.

Public works staff presented the criteria and an initial list of candidate roads by supervisor district, and recommended that the board not increase the total miles the county maintains without offsetting deletions. \"We don't want to add additional miles to what we are already maintaining because of the cost of funds, there is the limited funds,\" said Jason, a public works staff member who presented the lists and cost estimates.

Why it matters: a decision to add a road to the county maintenance system changes who pays for grading, chip sealing and other maintenance; a decision to drop a road for county maintenance changes how often a road will be serviced and can affect emergency access, school-bus routing and local traffic circulation.

Staff overview and criteria
Public works staff said they evaluated roads using the county's add/drop policy (Resolution 19-01) and a set of operational criteria that include: whether a road was constructed prior to 1990, a minimum 50-foot public right-of-way, an 18-foot travelway, and whether the road serves at least 18 addresses. The presentation also showed that the county considers connectivity to existing county-maintained roads and overall traffic circulation when prioritizing candidates for addition or removal.

The staff reports the following summary counts from the initial review: District 1 had five roads that met add criteria totaling about 2.21 miles; District 2 had 16 roads meeting criteria for about 19.57 miles; District 3 had 10 roads meeting criteria for about 2.47 miles. Staff emphasized the board can reallocate the statutory allowance for added miles among districts but said they do not propose increasing the county's net maintained mileage without offsetting drops.

Costs and next steps
Staff provided rough order-of-magnitude estimates for bringing dirt roads to chip-seal standard and for ongoing maintenance; those estimates are preliminary and vary widely by road depending on drainage, right-of-way needs and existing pavement condition. Jason described the estimates as \"rough numbers\" and said engineering work would be needed for any road the board directs staff to pursue further.

Board members asked that residents affected by proposed additions or drops be notified in writing before a public hearing. \"We will have the list we're sharing here, and that will go out to the public,\" a public works presenter said, and staff later confirmed they will mail letters and post the standard public notices before scheduling town-hall–style sessions. The board plans to review public input at a future meeting and vote on any add/drop actions after staff completes more detailed analysis.

What dropping maintenance means
Board members and staff clarified that removing a road from the county maintenance program is not the same as legal abandonment of the right-of-way. Dropping maintenance means the county will stop routine maintenance (grading, chip sealing, etc.), but ownership of right-of-way and any subsequent abandonment or transfer is a separate legal process and may require majority landowner action or other steps under state law. Staff also said that where the county does not have perfected right-of-way, dropping maintenance may effectively leave maintenance responsibility with property owners.

Public engagement and timeline
Staff said they will prepare and mail notices to owners on roads identified in the draft lists, hold public meetings to collect feedback, and return to the board with refined cost estimates and recommendations. The supervisors noted the county's next regular meeting is Sept. 2 and that a jail site tour is scheduled the following day; staff said they will schedule hearing dates after coordinating calendars. No formal additions or deletions were approved at the Aug. 19 work session.

Speakers quoted or referenced were identified in the meeting transcript and are listed below.","At an Aug. 19 work session, Cochise County public works staff presented criteria for adding and removing roads from the county maintenance system, recommended candidate roads by district and said staff will notify affected residents and hold public hearings before any final board action.","actionData","errors"]

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Chip shortage forces Cochise County to scale back chip-seal plans for Kansas Settlement

Cochise County supervisors open review of road add/drop policy, schedule public hearings