Flathead County gets some takers for their dust program

Flathead County got enough takers for their dust abatement program to use up about half the $100,000 budget allocation — none on the North Fork, though.

Today’s Daily Inter Lake has the story . . .

More than 24 miles of Flathead County roads will get dust abatement this summer through a new cost-sharing program.

It’s a pay-to-play endeavor in which the county and rural residents split the cost of applying magnesium chloride to curb a growing road-dust problem.

Magnesium chloride, which costs about $4,000 per mile, will be applied to 15 miles of road, county Public Works Director Dave Prunty told the county commissioners on Tuesday.

About 9.5 miles will get emulsified asphalt (black oil). Oil is twice as expensive as magnesium chloride, but the county’s match for oil will be the same — $2,000 per mile.

Read the entire article . . .