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Rice County approves hot‑in‑place asphalt recycling pilot and corrects snow‑and‑ice policy citation
Summary
The board approved a contract to pilot hot‑in‑place asphalt recycling with chip seal on about three miles of County Road 23 — staff estimated roughly $130,000 per mile versus over $200,000 per mile for mill and pave — and approved a clerical update to the 2014 snow‑and‑ice removal policy to correct a state statute citation.
Rice County’s highway department presented a two‑part agenda item on April 14: a contract to pilot hot‑in‑place asphalt recycling with chip seal on approximately three miles of County Road 23, and a clerical amendment to the county's snow‑and‑ice removal policy.
Highway staff explained the hot‑in‑place process (scarifying and heating the top layer and recompactin g with emulsified asphalt) and said other Minnesota counties have had success. Staff estimated the pilot at about $130,000 per mile compared with more than $200,000 per mile for mill and pave, and said the approach reduces trucking and may extend pavement life by addressing cracks below the surface. Commissioners asked about environmental and scheduling details; staff said the road would not be closed and the contractor hoped to complete work before July 4.
The board approved the contract by motion and voice vote. Highway staff also presented a clerical correction to the 2014 snow removal policy to fix a statutory citation (an extra zero in the statute number); staff said the policy's substance did not change and the board approved the amendment by motion and voice vote.
Staff said if the pilot proves successful the method could be used on other county roads; any larger program would return to the board for budget and scope approval.
