A sheriff's deputy specifically assigned to enforce speed limits on Flathead County's gravel roads will conduct his first patrol today.
County commissioners authorized the Sheriff's Office to spend about $60,000 this year to hire and equip the additional deputy - part of a comprehensive plan to mitigate the county's dust problem.
"His main function is to slow people down on gravel roads, hopefully to keep the dust down," Flathead County Sheriff Mike Meehan said.
Deputy Stewart Smith will patrol the county's gravel roads in a marked squad car between May 1 and Oct. 31, focusing on enforcing the speed limit in areas with the worst dust problems.
"He'll be working all over the county," Meehan said.
Flathead County has about 700 miles of gravel roads and 400 miles of paved roads.
Smith, who will work full-time on a rotating schedule during the summer months, is responsible strictly for traffic enforcement and won't respond to other emergency calls, Meehan said. He has the authority to write all kinds of traffic tickets, including for DUI.
He also has the discretion to write a citation or give a verbal warning, but a ticket is the preferred response to a traffic stop, according to Meehan. All warnings will be documented.
"He'll have discretion, but he'll be writing citations, too," Meehan said.
Patrol assignments will be based on the number of dust complaints received, number of traffic stops on a given road, when those stops occur, and at what speeds offenders were traveling.
Roads that currently receive the most dust complaints include Hoffman Draw, McMannamy Draw, North Fork Road, Trumble Creek Road, Blankenship Road, Kienas Road, Braig Road and Mennonite Church Road.
Smith has served as a reserve sheriff's deputy, a major in the sheriff's posse, and the Evergreen school resource officer, Meehan said.
The additional deputy is just one component of the three-year Road Dust Action Plan that commissioners adopted to avoid a $29,000 fine imposed in January 2007 by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality for violating the Clean Air Act of Montana.
The plan requires the county to take "reasonable precautions" to prevent excessive road dust. Projects called for in the agreement will cost about $150,000 over the next three years, according to Commissioner Joe Brenneman.
If the dust plan isn't strictly followed, the county faces additional penalties, Brenneman said.
The project's main components include adding law enforcement for dust patrols, posting more signs, and completing a dust palliative application.
The plan requires commissioners to spend $42,638 for an additional deputy to patrol the county's unpaved roads in the first year, $38,788 the second year and $39,328 the third year.
"I think that's going to be a real integral part of the program," Flathead County Public Works Director Dave Prunty said.
The plan also requires the county to install 30 speed-limit sign clusters each year for the next three years. Signs for the mandatory 35 mph speed limit are placed on top of signs denoting a recommended speed limit of 20 mph on all unpaved roads.
Even though authorities recommend people travel at 20 mph in dusty conditions, tickets can't be issued unless speeds are more than 35 mph.
Other signs may include those that read "no through truck traffic" and "local access only."
Each sign cluster costs $150. The total cost for signs is $5,075.
The county has installed more than 30 recommended speed-limit signs on gravel roads, Prunty said.
The county also has agreed to pay $10,000 a year for the next three years for dust mitigating treatments.
Road crews are looking at a new dust palliative that doubles as a stabilizing agent to prevent washboarding of roads, Prunty said.
"Maybe there's a better mousetrap out there that may not cost as much," he said, noting that road oil last year cost thousands of dollars per mile.
The Road Advisory Committee, created about six months ago, is working not only on other ideas to reduce dust on gravel roads, but also ways to improve the county's highways and byways as a whole, Prunty said.
"Our hope is to mitigate dust by using the reasonable precautions that the county and DEQ have agreed on," he said.
And though dust never will be eradicated from gravel roads, the goal is to reduce that dust as much as possible, Prunty said.
"So far, we've been pretty happy as we get into spring," he said. "It looks pretty good. Better than it has in other springs so far."
Reporter Nicholas Ledden can be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at nledden@dailyinterlake.com
Martin
Yosemite1967 I hope you were not refering to my comment.Because if you were you totally missed where i said it wasnt the people driving by, its the teenagers on atvs and dirt bikes that have no right to be racing each other up the road and causing the amount of dust that they do. They need to be ticketed just like the vehicles are. Where is our county dust guy? Does he even patrol and unmaintained county road? Lakeside is in need of some serious parental responsibilty for where their kids are riding. Im sure their happy as long as its not in front of their house!Last week we told three to slow down and they popped a wheely and left my daughter in a cloud of dust holding her two month old baby. Fourth of July we stopped three of them for trespassing on our posted land(powelines) and they rudely told us to "F" off and took off.Yes We live on a dirt road, and weve learned to live with it, we even maintain it ourselves.But bad behaviour does not have to be excepted Montana native or not. City Slicker us? You couldnt be more wrong, its even laughable.
Spage
As it is now mid-way through the Summer its obvious the dust patrol is not having a significant impact on the dust problem on the North Fork Road. People are barreling along spewing dust behind their vehicles and trailers. It simply happens when the dust cop isn't around and on parts of the road they know he doesn't patrol. No dust pallative has been spread on the North Fork Road. Why has DEQ accepted this settlement from Flathead County? Flathead County is clearly in violation of clean air standards. Why does DEQ even exist if they can't effectively deal with these problems? I know there are people out there who will just say live with it. But as more and more people pile into the North Fork for their recreation, etc. the problem is worsening. The other day I had four times when I could not see in front of my car and I know oncoming traffic could not see me. This dust creates very hazardous driving visibility conditions.
KB
I would like to report that there has not been any dust lately (for some strange reason). The dust patrol must be working (or could it be the rain, hmmm). I wonder what the Dust Patrol Officer is doing while it is raining? Maybe he can still catch people illegally splashing through mud puddles.
KB
I think we could reduce the $150,000 cost down a little if we used prisoners to do the work.
photoguy
KB, Unfortunately Prisoners didn't want to be productive members of society, but working on a road crew, would be a great way to get their debt to society paid off and produce something that could benefit that society..there are several prisoners housed that would love to work outside, and would do a pretty good job, it could be community service, or work release..actually that is a heck of an idea!
Spage
Maybe a demonstration is needed. A large convoy of vehicles traveling the North Fork Road in July to demonstrate the dust problem. Oh wait. The convoy already happens on July 4th. Would the media cover it?
Spage
The North Fork road is a unique situation when compared to other roads in the county. It is impacted by the influx of visitors using the road for recreation, by the forest service, the national park, border patrol. For this road it would be appropriate to share the cost of the solution. This likely means paving the portion between C'Falls and the Camas Road. That portion is a win-win and makes sense to pave. It skirts very close to the river it is currently polluting with dust. It would better serve the use of Glacier Park and would benefit the C'Falls business economy. Some people in the North Fork believe the dusty road keeps people out. That's naive and is not working. What is needed are real political leaders to spearhead for a solution to this one. Otherwise, litigation.
KB
The bottom line here is that dirt roads were sufficient in the past when only a few vehicles a day drove on them, but now with the huge increase (daily) of traffic, dirt roads are not acceptable. Not for breathing, not for visibility, not for safety, not for air pollution. Heavily traveled dirt roads are not acceptable period. Our priority should be to make the county spend our tax dollars paving them for all the above reasons and make developers mitigate dust issues before they are allowed to begin development. They always seem to come up with money when it concerns a project they are interested in. Where did the money come from to pave Browns Meadow road (last summer)?
photoguy
There alternatives to oil or chloride, here is one for example that actually works out to be lower in cost than oil and chlorides and is environmentally friendly. soilworks.com
Spage
Kintla: You obviously don't know what you are talking or can't admit to the facts. The remote and rugged nature of the North Fork appeals to everyone. Its lack of utility power and telephone, and its zoning are the real barriers to heavy development. It has become an expensive proposition to buy, build and maintain a place in the North Fork. Folks with money continue to buy. And that's fine by me. They have the expendible cash to pay for the fuel prices, the damage the road does to the vehicles and since many are part-timers the road is simply a sometimes annoyance for them. Anyone who travels the North Fork road is part of the problem whether it is to float the river, hike or camp in the park, do forestry work, guard the border, go to their home, hunt, fish, monitor wildlife, etc. The North Fork has realtors, lawyers, rich people, middle class and those of lesser means. Your comments demonstrate your ignorance of the facts.
photoguy
Spage, don't worry, that is kintla's answer for everything, get rid of the rich, the builders, the realtor's and if you don't like it, Move! Kintla wants to build a border fence around the Flathead and keep all outsiders away..! All the problems of the Flathead can be solved, if we get rid of the interlopers!
Spage
Kintla: I simply pointed out the facts and then you launch personal attacks. Please stop that. The dusty North Fork road IS an environmental problem that exists whether one lives, visits, carpetbags, in the area. The park, the river, the forest, all, understandably, attract people of all income levels, from all over the world, to the North Fork. The dust from the road traffic damages the environment. The traffic is not going to decrease in the North Fork or in the valley. If you are a native Montanan and drive the dusty roads you contribute to the dust pollution. Your tires kick up the dust the same way. There is logical way to resolve these pollution issues. It requires thinking people. If you have constructive input everyone will listen. The nonsense comments are not constructive.
BettyBoop
LOL Kintla is back! And he is already started his rambling! Must be ungrounded from the computer.
photoguy
Well I think all can see how well founded Kintla's feeling are, based on the last post..thank god, we don't have that many people like him around the valley...yikes
someone
KB in response to your comment about the paving on Brown's Meadow last year. The DEVELOPER paid for the rebuild and paving of Brown's Meadow. Hmmm... just think if all these subdivisions in the past were made to pave a portion of the county roads, would we even be having this discussion?
KB
Someone: Thanks for that. I did not know the developer paid for the paving on Browns Meadow road but it makes sense. That road was (in my opinion) one of the worst dusty roads around. I think all developments should have to mitigate this type of impact on the community before the project is approved (how easy is that?). The county could assess a road paving fee to the developer that could be paid over a period of time as the development develops and then to the new residents. When the cost of paving is paid back the fee is dropped. People who develop property not using dirt roads would not have to pay those fees.
photoguy
I'm not KB Cowboy, but the types of development you are describing is a completely different situation, a family split would result in a private roads, with lower impact traffic, as would a 4 home on 20 acre development, even if it was county road, the traffic counts would be very low. The types of developments that are causing the problems are the large scale developments that are adding to the traffic counts on dirt roads to reach the development..when that type of situation happens, the impact on existing residents should always be taken into consideration and the problem mitigated...allowing these larger developments to be built without consideration, is just adding to the existing problems and in fact multiplying the problem. At this point in time, it is snowballing and anybody new to the valley in one of these developments are going to start complaining as well, by not addressing it, the county is just adding to their troubles..
photoguy
Kintla.....Telling people to "Eat your F**king shorts" is a mature way to handle a conversation???????????????
photoguy
Kintla, you as well as many others know, that was the remark that you posted yesterday! Now your going to add lies to your repertoire, it looks like enough saw your remark yesterday as offensive, but don't try to get cutesy and claim you didn't make it, notice the quotes, that means that I was quoting you, you have done it several times in many different threads over the last few months.. and when somebody calls you one it, you try to turn it back on them,, talk about an immature twit!
someone
Family Transfers is just a way to skirt subdivision regulations. Let's just say you have 120 acres, and you do a family transfer into 6 parcels, give one to your spouse, and one to each of your four children. Once the transfer is complete, your spouse and children sell their 20 acre parcels, and the new owners subdivided each of those lots into 5 acre parcels. You've just created a subdivision with 20 new homes. How does this NOT have a significant impact on the gravel county road that they live upon? Figure two cars, with at LEAST two round trips a day to and from home. Thats an additional 80 trips up and down the road a day. There are some legitimate Family Transfers, but most are just looking to do minor subdivision and skirt the rules.
someone
When the new owners subdivide their properties they also do it by family transfer, and sell the remaining lots.
photoguy
The last year that traffic counts for Holt Stage is available, which is 2006, the daily average traffic count was 190, quite a bit lower than many other gravel roads in the county. As far as filing, there are several people in the county ready to actually file based on health concerns
Spage
Most people would probably be satisfied with dust abatement that works, does not increase health risks, and, in the long term, is cost effective. But there are roads in this county where dust abatement won't be a cost effective lasting measure. Level heads need to guide the process to solutions. But it is a fact that the county is in violation of dust pollution standards and a realistic plan needs to be developed to remedy this. It is the lack of follow through for real-life solutions that creates the frustration. This county plan that DEQ accepted is something a kindergartner could have developed. It is not a solution.
someone
photoguy ... I've read the minutes from the Road Advisory Committee meetings and the comments from various members of a group. Some of the roads the members are complaining about don't even have traffic counts over 200 average trips per day. As to Holt Stage having a traffic count of only 190 daily trips per day you failed to mention that the counter was located West of MT 35 with the study done in 2006. In 2004 the county had counters West of Montford with a count of 296 average daily trips, and West of Fairmont with a count of 631. With the completion of the new bridge next year, what do you think the traffic counts may jump up to as an alternate route into Kalispell without all the stoplights?
photoguy
Someone, I did not fail to mention that the count was done in 2006, unfortunately the data I have, does not say where the count was done, why do you want to argue? I am not presenting flawed data, I am posting the data that I have been able to get out of the county..period, I don't need to argue with you, it is a given, there is in fact a problem!
someone
I'm not trying to argue, I was supplying the rest of the actual data from the traffic counts on Holt Stage, which are available on the Road Department's website.
photoguy
Someone, the only counts I have been able to find on the country roads website, shows Holt Stage at 190 average per day, and the study was taken on 09/01/06 to 09/07/06, so obviously you are finding information that I have not yet located, and believe me, I was not trying to slant anything, I was posting the information I have been able to aquire.
KB
If the family split style of development causes or is going to cause serious dust issues then the family or landowners should have to mitigate the issue the same as a non-family split development. I think the roads that are causing the biggest health threat should be addressed first but each situation should be assessed fairly and not based on the number of complaints but through an un-biased process. Not all dirt roads create the same level of dust or immediate threat to health. The variables are: type of dust created, number of vehicles traveling, number of residents affected, and dust bowl conditions. With the increase in population we have experienced in the last ten years the issue can no longer be ignored. The commissioners must respond!
KB
I can't imagine them building and installing a one lane bridge so I will go out on a limb and say two lanes.
photoguy
Cowboy, the last data I have been able to find on the North Fork was done in 2005, the study was done between 5/20/05 and 5/26/05 S of big creek and the numbers were 334 a day, McMannamy the last is 2006, dates 6/02/06 to 6/08/08 at the end of oil and the count was 491 per day, Truman creek, 2006 6/02/06 to 6/08/06 end of oil 523 a day
DA
The Commissioners spent $ 1 million on an asphalt plant in 1999, while continuing a no pave policy. They then complained that they were low on gravel.You will have a chance to toss one of these characters out of office next month and send a message to the remaining two that they need to get smart.
BettyBoop
I agree that this is a waste of tax payers money, and a BIG waste of time. What is one officer going to do?? There I am sure, better way's to control this issue! I know the dust levels are high, not to mention that it is dangerous to travel on dirt roads when you are driving higher speeds than posted!! 25 - 35mph is the fastest I would drive on a gravel road.
photoguy
What is really sad, is County officials DO have an idea of the traffic on the N. Fork! But have chose to ignore the area after the residents rejected the proposed paving in this area a few years ago, it seems as if the county has chose to ignore all of the dust problem areas after that, so we all suffer! They keep saying, we don't have the money, but I don't see anything being done in this county to improve road conditions! The Hwy 93 overlay is a state project, not a county project..but I don't see the county doing much in the way of improvements anywhere! If you don't believe me, look at any of the orange construction zone road project signs, and look at the money figures on them, rarely will you see much in the way of county money going into them! What I want to know, is where in the hell the county road departments money is being spent!
photoguy
Narragansett, Does it really matter? Which "Well Funded" Group rejected the paving plans? If your A North Fork Resident and you guys didn't shut them down, then you as much to blame as the assholes, that opposed it, and in the meantime, the rest of us have suffered!
photoguy
Narragansett, And really when it comes down to it, all I want to know, is where in the hell is the damn money going that is supposed to be maintaining the county roads! I still can't get them to send me an accounting of where they are spending our money!!!
photoguy
Rob, I am well aware it is public record, I have been to the county road offices numerous times, requesting the information, and it is all one excuse after another...the only records of expense they have provided to me, is 2002, I am almost ready to file a suit as well as an official freedom of information act request to find out what the heck is going on here, I have received some figures in conversations with road crews, that directly conflict with information I have received from private contractors on paving as well as other dust mitigations solutions. I have continuously requested lists of overlay projects, because I wanted to run those roads and actually document if they needed overlay. With nothing but more excuses on their part, it is ridiculous to try and get information in this valley from the government!
photoguy
I provided several copies of studies, to Guy and Joe, last May in our meetings with them about road and dust conditions, to no avail...as a person who suffers from Asthma, it is in fact a physical problem for me. I have sent repeated complaints to the Montana DEQ, which we can see where that gets us, I know of one child that spent a few days in the hospital because of the dust, I have also wrote the EPA in Washington, because it is an environmental problem, especially when the oil wears out, and becomes air born particulate, I know of groups that are trying to raise numbers to actually file a lawsuit based on environmental as well as health risks and problems, which may be the only way, we finally get something done..
Spage
It sounds like it may be time for all those involved, county wide, to pool their resources, through litigation to force the county and DEQ to live up to their responsibilites and quit squandering tax dollars.
Spage
Rob: Its unlikely you will get anywhere through any process other than litigation. The continued double-talk will continue. Case in point: Flathead County is in violation of air quality standards and DEQ approves their plan consisting of road signs, a dust cop, and maybe, maybe, some sort of dust coating. We'll be two years down the dusty road before anyone wakes up and says, oh well, that didn't work. It will end up in litigation. So don't prolong it because the cost of solutions only increase going forward.
photoguy
Rob, I would say it is already an "adversarial conflict" and has been for quite a long time now, which is one of the reasons, so many neighborhood road groups have been formed. They will continue with the stall tactics and double talk, until such time as they are forced by someone with more power, to actually do something that works for the betterment of the community. A single dust cop, and signs is not going to solve anything at all. They graded a portion of the road I live on Thursday, and I drove it last evening at 20 MPH as the sign suggested, guess what, the dust was so bad that visibility was none existent. If someone had to make a quick stop to avoid an animal, anybody following would run the risk of an accident. Totally unacceptable, and useless, the groups need to organize and force them to do something and if that require litigation, then so be it..but it needs to be fixed now!
Spage
Since the park is the largest tourism magnet in the valley it should be willing to participate in solutions regarding issues at its borders. Where are all the elected officials (federal and state) on this issue?
KB
Dust doesn't make money for bureaucrats and preventing it causes the slowing of growth which slows the influx of tax dollars. Spending money to solve a problem that they (the county commissioners) created by allowing over development in areas which can only be reached via dirt roads would be unspeakable to them. They answer to no one and rarely respond to public outcry. Vote one out and the new one becomes a politician as bad or worse. In the mean time go slow and don't breathe. Darn, I let my cynicism out again!
Spage
Well, like I said in my earlier comment. Litigation. It will be impossible for them to turn a blind eye to this. Then the remedies are in the hands of a judge. Might work. Might not. But they will have to pay attention.
photoguy
At this point in time, I don't even consider it an "Option" I am sure it will be a conclusion~!
photoguy
I was looking at the MSDS for one companies road oil, it contains Hydrogen Sulfide(H2S) as well as Napthalene, and carries the warning that Hydrogen Sulfide, is considered hazardous, in it can cause respiratory irritation, eye irritation, skin irritation as well as asphyxiation. This does not sound like the safest stuff to be putting on the roads as when it breaks down, and again becomes dust, you will be inhaling this stuff, as well as coming in contact on the skin...so by oiling, what is happening, your controlling one health hazard with another health hazard. There needs to be another solution found.
Spage
I've heard there is some sort of meeting coming up regarding the North Fork Road issue. Does anyone know when this meeting takes place? Which county, state and federal officials will be there? Maybe the issue awareness will be raised?
photoguy
So Rob, We get exposed to oil, which is listed as a health hazard, or we get exposed to a substance that rots metal? That sounds like a PERFECT solution to me, you might also want to do a little more research on the Calcium Chloride as to the effects when it becomes dust..
photoguy
Rob, before we go any further, do you live on a paved road, or a dirt road?
JMO
Anybody thinking about the fact that as the dollar keeps dropping in value - the price of everything goes up? Was watching Glen Beck talk about this. Was saying the main reason the oil prices and food prices going up was because of the devalueing of the dollar. Ya think?
photoguy
Rob, That was not the question, I pay taxes and drive both the North Fork as well as McMannamy, I asked, do you live on a dirt or a paved road?
photoguy
And Rob, Do you drive the North Fork, Day in Day out 24/7 365? or do you drive the NF for recreational purposes, do you have to drive the NF to get home? Opps, guess not, you already said you don't live on the NF, understanding the day in day out, grating of the dirt, dust and inactivity of the county is what is as the heart of the problem, there are problems, that need to be fixed and the county refuses to address them!
photoguy
What is kind of ironic, I talked to the "dust Cop" today, and EVEN he is of the opinion, what he is doing will do nothing to curb the problem....
citygirl
How about an extra city officer to patrol the abundant city neighborhoods filled with speeding vehicles dodging the Flathead Valley youths on their bikes and enjoying our forthcoming summer?
KB
This is like putting a band-aid on a severer arterial bleed! How about this, the commissioners stop allowing developments in areas that do not have paved access? What, plan ahead? They are still preparing more lots on Mennonite Church road as we type and the dust issue is beyond acceptable. The planning board and commissioners just keep on approving without requiring the developers to mitigate the (dust) issues related to the new developments. Who could have seen this coming? If it takes lawsuits to convince the commissioners that there are more rights that just property rights then so be it. If I had the funds I would be suing them myself as the dust bowl that my property now sits in is a major health issue for me (but not for the commissioners). The dust that hangs in the air (in the 10 micron size range) is the dust that causes lung disease and death. There was not a dust issue before they allowed not less than five large developments on Mennonite Church/Bachelor Grade Road which, only have dirt road access. Who is responsible for this problem? Instead of the developer paying to mitigate the dust issue, we tax payers
KB
are paying for it.
mont_andy
Instead of re-surfacing US 93, why not pave some of these roads? It makes no sense why a perfectly good road gets ripped up and re-surfaced when our tax dollars could be spent paving some of the potholed gravel roads in this county.
Fieldsfamily
Roger that Enos. I'll be watching, er uh, supervising Daisy washing the patrol car immediately but I'm afraid it might take all day. You might want to stay out there and patrol a little longer. Boss Hogg out.
Roark
His main function is to slow people down on gravel roads, hopefully to keep the dust down, Flathead County Sheriff Mike Meehan said." ------That's not a total waste of taxpayer money or anything!
KB
"Flathead County has about 700 miles of gravel roads" and "A sheriffs deputy specifically assigned to enforce speed limits on Flathead Countys gravel roads" let's see one sheriff's deputy and 700 miles of dirt road, oh, I get it!! If you think this is good way to deal with this issue, keep your finger in the dike!