NDDOT outlines haul-road inspection criteria and restoration responsibilities

Hunter, on behalf of the Minot District, summarized NDDOT requirements for haul roads under NDDOT specification 107.08, including designation criteria, pre-haul inspection procedures, ongoing maintenance, public-traffic accommodation and final restoration and release procedures.

Hunter said haul roads should generally be non-paved unless on the state system, should not be susceptible to heavy damage, and should not be an established commercial pit used for third-party sales. "Before hauling begins, a prehaul inspection should occur, including the engineer, contractor, and responsible agency," Hunter said. The pre-haul report should document material type, thickness, width and special conditions such as posted weight limits.

During hauling, the contractor must maintain roads, accommodate public traffic and control dust; public complaints commonly arise over dust control and the presenter recommended routine watering. The presentation described techniques for measuring road thickness (a hand instrument with a notch to indicate clay layer), methods for addressing soft spots, and the need to document and restore roads to at least their pre-haul condition.

After restoration, Hunter said the responsible agency must issue a road-release statement that relieves NDDOT and the contractor of further responsibility. He emphasized that the final inspection should include the engineer, contractor and responsible agency to confirm restoration met the standards.

No formal actions or policy changes were recorded; the session served as district-level technical guidance for engineers and inspection staff.