Tuscarora Township to brine roads twice to combat dust complaints
TUSCARORA TOWNSHIP — After receiving multiple complaints from township residents, the Tuscarora Township Board of Trustees voted to pursue brining gravel roads twice to help cut down on dust issues.
Part of the discussion was also how the additional brining should be funded, whether there should be a special assessment district established, or whether it should come out of the township's general fund.
"How many people have been down Waubun Road," said Tuscarora Township Supervisor Mike Ridley. "We do need to do something. Once a year is not enough."
Ridley said he has been in contact with Northern A-1 Services, a brining company out of Whitehall, Michigan. This company has been performing the annual brining services for Tuscarora Township for years.
Through the conversation with the company, Ridley learned it takes around 3,000 gallons of the brining substance to do one mile of roads. There is just under 24 miles of gravel roads throughout the township, which would equal out to roughly $21,000 each time the roads are treated.
"I can't do one road. We can't do one road and then have a special assessment district just for Waubun Road," said Ridley. "Then all of a sudden King Road wants in, Rogers Road wants in, then Club Road."
Ridley said the township board needs to decide whether to move forward with a special assessment district to brine more than once a year. He feels it's not cost prohibitive and it would be helpful either way, whether it's done with a special assessment or whether it comes out of general funds.
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If the township were to create a special assessment district for the brining, it would be a lengthy process. There would have to be public hearings and petitions, and most likely would not be done in time for the work to be completed this year.
"If you would like more information, I could probably come up with a windshield estimate of every road, what it would cost," said Ridley. "But it would all be spread equally, whether you're on a long road like King, or you're on a sparsely."
Ridley said he would like to see the roads get brined twice a year immediately, without a special assessment district. Then the township could look at the potential district in the coming months, before next year's road treatment.
Tuscarora Township Interim Clerk Dawn Webb said she had received two complaints about the dust on the gravel roads during the first week of June. One complaint was from a local apartment complex and residents that were trying to have a picnic outside but could not due to the amount of dust.
"Then another gal that was on Fisherwoods Road. Her son rode his bike up the road and almost got hit because with the four wheelers, it was a white out," said Webb. "We need to do something."
Many of the complaints of the dust come from the more heavily traveled roads around the township, including Club Road, Waubun Road, King Road and Brudy Road.
The township board members voted unanimously to brine twice a year, with the funds to come out of the township's budget, not to exceed $45,000. This will help to cut down on the dust generated from the gravel roads.
The board members were also in favor of looking into the possibility of creating the special assessment district in the future. Ridley will get an estimate of how much it would cost and the length of road that could be covered by this.
Contact Reporter Kortny Hahn at khahn1@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @khahnCDT.
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Whiteouts from dust causing safety concerns in Tuscarora Township
