Rural Road Study

  • On February 13, 2014, a Special Council Meeting was held to review the Rural Road Study and to discuss implementation of the study. At this meeting, Council approved that the road surface type for arterial roads will be Calcium Chloride. In April of 2014, a group of landowners formed a group called the Flagstaff Coalition for Better Roads. 
  • Representatives from the group presented their concerns regarding the transitioning of oiled roads back to gravel and the use of Calcium Chloride. They requested that Council consider forming a committee to study this further and investigate the needs that would be relevant to each division and the County as a whole.
  • A Rural Roads Committee was formed with representatives from County Council, the Flagstaff Coalition for Better Roads, and a public representative. The purpose of the committee was to make recommendations to County Council regarding a cost effective, efficient, and environmentally responsible solution for the surface of arterial road network. Three committee meetings were held with little progress made towards a solution. 
  • On November 24, 2014, a Special Council Meeting was held and County Council approved the following:
          • –  To provide a road network with arterial, collector, and local roads as defined in the Rural Road Study.
          • –  The arterial road network will be ban free utilizing dust suppressant products.
          • –  The arterial road network will consider of 147 miles (includes 4.75 miles of existing paved surface).
          • –  The surface type on arterial road network will be MG30 and Calcium Chloride.
      2. –  The 2015 Dust Suppressant Program will be revised to reflect the surface type of MG30 and Calcium Chloride, and to develop 142.5 miles of the arterial road network with the same surface type over an 8-year period.
        –  To dissolve the Rural Road Committee and rescind the Terms of Reference, due to the fact that the road committee did not follow the guidelines of the Terms of Reference and the committee did not bring forward any new plans for road surfaces. 
      7. On December 2, 2015, a facilitated discussion was held with the Executive of the Flagstaff Coalition for Better Roads, County Council, and staff.  The topics covered the concept of perception, understanding expectations, giving and receiving feedback, and specific discussion around the Rural Road Study.
      9. At the December 11, 2015 County Council meeting, the information from the meeting with the Flagstaff Coalition for Better Roads was discussed, and Council approved the following: 
         – To research and prepare a proposal for the use of the product Terrachem with chip seal for a dust suppressant alternative; if the product projects to be an economical and effective option for a surface type for the arterial road network, determine a test section for the application for further analysis.  
        – To develop a rating system, utilizing the criteria in the Rural Road Study, to further review the arterial road designation; and consider different surface types dependant on the rating of the road.  

 View the 2013 Rural Road Study here.

Back to Public Works