Where does Larimer County’s roadway gravel come from?
Larimer County generally sources its roadway gravel from the Strang Pit, a 160-acre County-owned gravel quarry in southeast Fort Collins. It has been in operation since 1977.
When it is more cost-effective, the County also purchases gravel from commercial sources.
How is the gravel made?
The Strang Pit is in gravel and cobble deposited by the Poudre River. This deposit creates a good source of roadway gravel after it is processed. The County takes the steps below to turn the river deposit into gravel aggregate for non-paved roads:
Excavation – Gravel and cobble are excavated from the ground.
Processing – The gravel and cobble are processed by crushing and mixing to create the road surface material that meets desired specifications.
Application – The finished gravel is used exclusively for maintaining Larimer County roads. It is not sold.
Annual production: Each year, approximately 40,000 tons of gravel are produced at the Strang Pit for road maintenance purposes.
Why use a County-owned gravel source?
Using our own aggregate source provides several key benefits to Larimer County taxpayers and roadway users:
✔ Lower costs – The County has more control over the cost and quality of the aggregate. Cost savings benefit Larimer County Residents.
✔ Reliable supply – A County-owned aggregate source reduces Larimer County’s dependence on outside suppliers.
✔ Efficient operations – On-site processing allows the County to produce aggregate that is best suited for road surfacing of Larimer County roads.
Challenges of transporting gravel
While operating the Strang Pit is a significant benefit to Larimer County residents, it is not ideal for providing gravel for roads in Western Larimer County:
Long hauling gravel is expensive – Some roads in the western part of the County are over 50 miles from the Strang Pit. Transporting gravel over such distances is expensive.
Road wear & tear – Frequent hauling puts more strain on County roads, leading to additional maintenance needs, which can reduce the overall cost savings.
County-wide impacts: Hauling long distances across Larimer County increases traffic and emissions across the County.
Because of these reasons, Larimer County is looking for other aggregate sources that will provide the opportunity to better maintain roads in western Larimer County.
Sourcing aggregate closer to the roads requiring maintenance reduces haul distances, wear and tear on roads across the County, truck traffic, and the associated emissions.
The future of the Strang Pit
Projections indicate the aggregate supply at the Strang Pit could last until approximately 2060. To increase operational efficiency and preserve the Strang Pit for aggregate needs in Eastern Larimer County, Larimer County is searching for gravel sources closer to the non-paved roads in the Western portion of the County.
Once extraction is complete, the site will be closed and reclaimed per County and State regulations.
Learn more about planning for future aggregate supply.
Learn more about what Larimer County is doing to find new gravel sources.
