Board approves pilot for lower-cost dirt-road stabilization after staff outlines $4.5M alternative to full paving

Hillsborough County staff returned with options for lower-cost alternatives to asphalt paving for county dirt roads and recommended a standard treatment combining geogrid, geotextile fabric and a permeable aggregate surface. Josh Belotti said the estimates for the recommended treatment range from $400,000 to $750,000 per mile, "averaging around $600,000 per mile," and that applying the treatment to the 27 roads the board adopted for dirt-road maintenance would cost about $4,500,000 versus $63,000,000 estimated for full asphalt paving.

Staff identified Valley Tree Drive as a representative pilot with a planning and construction estimate of roughly $100,000 and an expected 9-month procurement and construction timeline; the board voted 7-0 to proceed with the pilot and evaluate results for broader application and future budget cycles.