Treasure County commissioners report mixed results as milling, dust-control trial continues on Front Street and Pease Bottom Road

County commissioners said a pilot milling and dust-control process has improved Front Street and parts of Pease Bottom Road but left short-term driving hazards that crews plan to fix as material sets.

The chair said crews "ground it all up" and would return to smooth and apply the dust-control product, but cautioned that several soft spots remain while the product cures. "They're going to smooth it down and they're going to put the dust pods on it and then then it's gonna be a beautiful road," the commissioner said.

Why it matters: commissioners described the treatment as a lower-cost alternative to full paving that may reduce frequent blading and washboarding on gravel routes. Several rural counties have tried the same product as a way to extend the service life of county roads and limit recurring maintenance costs.

What was said: staff and a contractor described how the milling machine regrades the road and the dust-control binder (referred to in meeting discussion as "dust pods") helps cohesion. Commissioners and road staff agreed the operation was weather-dependent; wetter conditions have slowed compaction and left more "soft spots" than expected. One county official said the product can save about 30% of cost if the county coordinates binder purchases with a nearby town to reduce per-unit pricing.

Concerns and next steps: Commissioners asked for a state representative to appear at the next meeting to discuss striping and liability if the county wants the state to stripe a road the county has improved. Staff were directed to monitor the trial for two more weeks, collect traffic counts on the treated route, and arrange follow-up maintenance if soft spots fail to firm up. The county will also invite neighboring counties that have trialed the product to report results.

The county did not take any binding new contract actions during this discussion; staff will return with cost-share and performance data at a subsequent meeting.