Lesser Slave River Community Guide Spring 2016 | Page 7

SPRING 2016
mdlsr.ca
Maintaining our Gravel Roads
CHECK the
restrictions before
you head out.
mdlsr.ca
There are more than 600 kilometres of gravel road across Lesser Slave River. The MD’s
gravel road network likely goes unnoticed by most people, but considerable effort
goes into its care and maintenance every year in order to maintain safe and efficient
roadways for residents and commercial operations. Spring is an especially active time
for MD road crews as weight restrictions are lifted and weather conditions improve.
Once the frost has lifted, crews perform spring maintenance operations, which includes
blading of gravel roads and shoulders to re-establish an even road surface, followed by
the re-application of gravel lost as a result of winter ice blading and road traffic.
In May, the MD’s contracted road crew will continue its construction on Poplar Lane to
finish the remaining two and a half kilometres of roadbase. June marks the start of the
re-gravel program, during which time road crews lay down fresh gravel to build up the
strength of roadways to MD standards. Shortly thereafter, a calcium chloride spraying
regimen takes place for dust suppression on gravel roads.
For more information about MD road maintenance operations, visit mdlsr.ca.