What happens when our gravel runs out?
Maintaining a safe and reliable road network for the 400+ miles of non-paved roads in Western Larimer County requires a sustainable and cost-effective aggregate supply.
Larimer County is exploring long-term solutions to ensure available aggregate for future road maintenance. Several options are being considered:
The County could buy gravel from commercial sources along the Front Range.
Relying on commercial gravel from the open market limits the County's ability to control both the cost and quality of the materials needed for non-paved roads for decades to come.
Sourcing gravel from the Front Range (including the County-owned Strang Pit) requires aggregate to be long-hauled to roads in Western Larimer County. This increases wear and tear on County roads, has broader traffic impacts across the County, and results in overall higher road maintenance costs.
✔ Option 2: Purchasing or leasing private lands
The County could lease or purchase land with natural deposits that could be processed into aggregate, similar to the County's Strang Pit.
Finding and securing a suitable location presents challenges such as land availability, property costs, and accessibility to roadways to be maintained. However, this option could be a possible solution if an appropriate site is identified.
After gravel is extracted, the County would reclaim and restore the site according to federal, state, and county regulations.
✔ Option 3: Partnering with federal or state agencies
The County could lease public land for new gravel quarries.
This could be a flexible, cost-effective, and sustainable option for future aggregate needs, if suitable partners can be identified.
After gravel is extracted, the County would reclaim and restore the sites according to federal, state, and county regulations.
To ensure a sustainable and cost-effective aggregate supply for Larimer County's non-paved roads, the County proposes developing a network of small, geographically diverse quarries in western Larimer County. By locating these sites near the roads they serve, long-term maintenance costs can be significantly reduced, and the operational life of the Strang Pit can be preserved for Front Range needs. This decentralized approach eliminates the necessity for large, high-impact quarries in favor of smaller, low-profile sites that meet the localized demand.
Learn more about current gravel sources.
Learn more about current activities to find new gravel sources.
