Fremont County temporarily allows increased truck shipments from Parkdale Pit while rail is paused

The Fremont County Board of County Commissioners on Friday unanimously approved a temporary amendment to the conditional use permit for the Parkdale Pit that lets Martin Marietta Materials move finished aggregate by truck while rail service is paused.

Philip Courtourtney, a land manager for Martin Marietta Materials, told the board the company has paused production at Parkdale and has substantial quantities of finished product stacked on site. Courtourtney said the company asked the county for temporary relief from two permit conditions so it can clear stockpiles by truck: increasing permitted trips and removing an 85% rail-shipping mandate.

"We have paused production of construction aggregates there for the time being," Courtourtney said, and requested the board allow truck shipments while the rail option is unavailable. He described the truck fleet as a mix of tractor-trailers and smaller dump trucks depending on the job.

Planning staff presented the applicant's materials and a traffic letter from CDOT supporting increased truck movements. Planning director Dan Victoria told the board the site contains "significant amounts of finished product which could be shipped over the next two years to construction job sites via truck." The department recommended approval of a temporary amendment.

County Attorney Eric Bellis outlined two legal paths: suspend the permit conditions for a set period or suspend them —until and unless— production resumes. The board adopted a two-year time-limited change: Condition R was amended to permit up to 240 trips per day (the board and staff clarified that counts trips as one-way movements, i.e., roughly 120 round trips), with no more than 30 trips allowed per hour; Condition S's 85% rail-shipping requirement was suspended for the same two-year period. The motion requires the applicant to return to the board three months before the suspension's end to report on conditions and potential next steps.

Residents raised safety and nuisance questions. Ed Nordon, who said he served on the board when the permit was first approved, asked whether the traffic would be eastbound and why rail is now uneconomic; Courtourtney replied most truck traffic would travel east and said he expects rail to be the long-term, economically preferred option once service resumes. John Sand requested a county condition requiring trucks to be tarped; Courtcourtney said Martin Marietta requires tarping of its haulers and that state rules also require measures to limit spillage, though he noted vehicles are beyond the company's control once they leave the site.

Commissioners discussed the importance of a temporary approach so that permanent traffic increases on Highway 50 are avoided if rail service returns. The board approved the amendment by roll call.

Next steps: Martin Marietta will operate under the amended conditions for up to two years and is expected to report back before the suspension expires; the county will monitor trucking volumes and compliance with the per-hour limit and other site conditions.