Valley County discusses road damage from recreation vehicles, chip‑seal pilot and equipment needs

Valley County Road & Bridge staff reported Wednesday that increased recreation traffic and use of utility terrain vehicles (side‑by‑sides) have accelerated deterioration on backcountry roads and strained the department's equipment and crew.

The county heard from Jeff, the Road & Bridge supervisor, who said work crews are stretched thin and described efforts to pilot a chip‑seal or “BST” treatment on several roads to test durability under heavy use. "It's all we can do is put the cost back on them," Jeff said, describing the difficulty of keeping gravel roads intact when recreational users drive wide and fast. He added that unless roads are paved, the county has found no way to fully prevent the damage from side‑by‑sides.

The commissioners were told the pilot uses a layered chip‑seal approach (two layers of 5/8‑inch chips, producing roughly 2 inches of chip seal if a second year of treatment is applied). The pilot will include roads with heavy recreational and truck traffic to evaluate whether the treatment can extend pavement life. Jeff described plans to test the method on West Mountain and other high‑use roads and said if it proves durable the county will expand its use.

Road & Bridge staff also outlined equipment and maintenance issues. The county's chip wagon and roller are aging; staff described the roller as a 1981 model with limited braking. Heavy wear on trucks assigned to backcountry projects has resulted in repeated mechanic visits, electrical problems and hydraulic failures. Jeff said the county must balance replacing vehicles (which can cost tens of thousands) against shorter‑term repairs.

Staff described planned work for the coming week: seal coat projects beginning next Monday on parts of Davis Creek (from the highway to just past the Will Munster pit), Hill House, Kelly's Parkway and Old Dust. Crews will provide 48‑hour and 24‑hour notifications to residents; staff said they have coordinated notices with Cascade Schools and Lakeshore Disposal. One staff member noted a federal reimbursement arrangement: a grant will reimburse the county about $150,000, with the county matching roughly $150,000 in truck time and related costs.

Commissioners asked about contracting versus in‑house work on remote projects. Staff said contractors likely would have completed far less mileage under the Rack grant and that using county crews allowed more work, despite the wear on county equipment.

The discussion included ongoing logistics: sending a blade and water truck to High Valley, continued work on shop construction (slab poured and building assembly expected to follow), and an operational decision point on whether to pursue larger chip‑sealing work in‑house if the pilot proves successful.

The report contained no formal vote; commissioners directed staff to continue the pilot, coordinate resident notifications, and proceed with the listed seal coat projects and equipment maintenance planning.