Gravel Roads deteriorate early due to Spring conditions

According to the St. Louis County Public Works Department, the recent warm weather and excessive rain are deteriorating gravel roads earlier than normal this winter season.

The ground and gravel roads are currently soft so the weight of trucks and heavy equipment are causing more harm than good on these roads.

“We’re as frustrated as anyone by the current condition of our gravel roads,” said Brian Boder, St. Louis County Deputy Director of Public Works. “Our team takes a lot of pride in maintaining good roads, but Mother Nature has tied our hands a bit. Sending out equipment now can actually make road conditions worse. We ask people to please be patient while Public Works attempts to repair the damage.”

Unfortunately, dry weather is needed before Public Works will be able to even attempt to make serious repair. Several days of dry weather is necessary but crews are monitoring road conditions and are making repairs when possible.

“Many gravel roads are in bad condition right now,” said Boder. “We’ll do our best to repair as many as possible in whatever window of opportunity we can get. Ideally, we need a few dry days and temperatures above freezing to smooth things out before the ground refreezes or we see significant snowfall.”

St. Louis County Public Works is responsible for maintaining 3,000 miles of roads, approximately half of which are gravel. To learn more, visit stlouiscountymn.gov/publicworks.