San Juan County public works outlines gravel projects, fuel tank sharing and stricter rock-hauling controls

San Juan County’s public works supervisor briefed commissioners on a broad set of road maintenance projects and operational changes, including gravel placement, equipment procurement, a shared fuel tank with the town, and a plan to tighten oversight of contractors that stage or haul material on county roads.

Staff said crews were finishing a large gravel push at multiple sites and coordinating with the town to trade hauling hours. The county has been grading an area affected by erosion and said roughly 7,000 cubic yards of material were moved to reshape ditches and reestablish drainage. The supervisor said the county’s own gravel pile has “washed out” fines on the top layer and crews are now reaching material that packs and performs better on roads.

On equipment procurement, staff reported they are getting quotes for motor graders and other heavy equipment. The county operates six-wheel-drive John Deere graders but staff said Komatsu and Caterpillar machines may be cheaper and offer different cab ergonomics; one vendor reportedly could provide field support for oil changes in remote locations. Lease terms were discussed; staff said the current lease extends into 2029.

Staff described a planned shared fuel system with the town: two tanks (2,000 gallons each) for a 4,000-gallon total, dyed diesel, keypad-controlled access for county and town, automated reordering at a 1,500-gallon threshold, and the ability to power the system from a generator during extended outages. Staff estimated the arrangement could save about $1.23 per gallon on fuel costs and provide emergency fuel access for fire and EMS when power is out. The public works supervisor said the cloud-based pump controller will record usage by code so suppliers can bill by user.

Safety and traffic control drew extended discussion. Staff said contractors have sometimes staged material or worked without adequate traffic control plans; the county plans to require site-specific traffic-control plans for rock-truck permits and to begin reinspections on longer-term commercial permits. Staff suggested permit holders might be required to submit periodic photos of signage and/or to rent variable message signs that the county could make available. The supervisor also described plans to require on-site inspections before permitting large or multi-year hauling operations.

Staff and commissioners discussed use of portable variable-message signs with radar and photo-capable setups. One option would enable the sign to capture license-plate images when drivers exceed posted limits; staff noted a software upgrade is required for automated photo capture and that policy and legal review would be needed before using plate images for enforcement.

A second area of concern was contractors’ drilling and sampling activity tied to EPA projects. Staff said several drill rigs had been “showing up” with short notice near County Road 1 and in historic-industrial areas; staff have asked EPA contractors to move test sites farther from the road, avoid sensitive culverts and historic features, and provide advance notice and property-owner permission before working on private land. Staff said EPA representatives had been responsive but that the county wants a clearer, earlier notice process.

No formal board policy was adopted at the meeting; staff were directed to return with proposed permit changes, a checklist for rock-truck permits, and a draft memorandum of understanding for the shared fuel tank arrangement with the town.

Why it matters: Road safety, contractor oversight and fuel logistics have direct operational and budget impacts for county services. New permit and inspection requirements will affect construction and hauling firms that use county roads for staging and transport.