Dust control is back on for gravel roads in Chatham-Kent.
Well, for at least 20 per cent of them.
At the July 14 council meeting, council unanimously opted to approve a plan that would see dust suppressant used on various rural roads, starting as soon as a “couple of weeks,” according to Ryan Brown, director of Public Works.
Den-Mar Brines has been tasked with applying the suppressant, earning the job with their tender of just under $293,000.
A total of more than $263,000 of that will be pulled from strategic reserves to cover the expense this year.
During the 2025 budget process, the budget committee of council opted to pull the dust suppressant work across all gravel roads in the municipality. That earned extensive backlash from rural residents.
Chatham Coun. Michael Bondy successfully brough the matter back before council.
During the July 14 council meeting where the decision was made to reintroduce dust suppressant, West Kent Coun. Melissa Harrigan wondered about service levels for this year.
Brown said the roads supervisor team discussed what would be practical and how Public Works could convert that into a figure that could be put to tender.
“We’re hoping to get to at least 20 per cent of roads and hopefully up to 40 per cent,” Brown said. “We’ll start with the highest-use roads.”
Brown said the dust suppressant effort could begin in several weeks, adding that the work is weather- and materials-dependent.
“We need a little time to get going and get started on some of the busiest roads. As we get moving and people notice extremely dusty roads, give Public Works some time and then if residents have a concern, they can call 311,” he said. “Our road supervisors know the really busy roads and where stretches of gravel roads have large numbers of houses on them.”
