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San Juan County approves loader rental, expands gravel screening and roadwork plans
Summary
Road & Bridge Director Rusty Meltzer told commissioners the county will proceed with magging June 22–23 (44,000 gallons, budgeted $74,700), install a culvert plus a buried French drain to fix a saturated spot, expand local gravel screening (≈10,000 tons) and approved a $7,000 one‑month loader rental using gravel escrow funds.
Road & Bridge Director Rusty Meltzer told the San Juan County Board of Commissioners on June 13 that crews are gearing up for a heavy maintenance season, approving a one‑month loader rental and pressing ahead with several on‑road fixes.
Meltzer said crews will apply mag on County Road 2 on June 22–23, using a 44,000‑gallon application budgeted at $74,700. He said the county will install a new culvert and bury a French drain at a low, saturated spot in the roadway where water breaks up through the roadbed, and that work will require a short nighttime closure to limit traffic impacts. "June 22nd is the mag. It is 44,000 gallons and we have it at $74,700," Meltzer said.
The board also approved a $7,000 month rental of a loader, to keep a dedicated machine available for the county's newly purchased screening operation. Meltzer explained the screening program has yielded large cost savings: by screening on‑site the county is producing gravel for roughly $8 per ton (including trucking), compared with $38 per ton to buy and deliver material. "With the screening, we're probably averaging about $2 a ton to make it," he said, adding the county has already screened about 10,000 tons.
Meltzer told the board crews will press permits and staging for additional screening locations, including a Yukon Hill land‑use permit that allows screening of up to 100,000 tons and remains valid for multiple years. He said the county has negotiated access to free dirt from an Ohio Gulch mudslide and will use the screener there, then haul material to roads needing surfacing.
Commissioners additionally discussed a possible partnership with Silverton Mountain to screen and take dirt from private land in exchange for a flat spot for parking; commissioners asked the applicant to provide a map and formal driveway permit application if the business seeks to move forward. The board also heard logistics for an avalanche gate to be placed below the mill on County Road 2 to allow winter closures without temporary cone setups.
The county plans several targeted maintenance mobilizations this season, including an August camp‑based effort to address long‑neglected sections of Kite Lake Road (County Road 3A). Meltzer said the crew will bring heavy equipment and work over multiple days to rebuild stretches last graded in 2016.
The board's approval of the loader rental and the decision to rely on existing escrow funds and budget reallocations reflect a push to reduce hauling costs and keep maintenance concentrated locally. The board approved the rental motion and Meltzer said he will return with updates as crews start the scheduled work.
