The Douglas County Public Works Department is accepting applications for the user-fee dust control program. The deadline to submit an application is Friday, March 11.

The program consists of applying liquid calcium chloride or magnesium chloride to rock roads typically in front of houses in an effort to reduce dust created by vehicles. Both products consist of a "brine solution" found naturally in various regions of the United States. The products have been found to control dust by attracting moisture from the atmosphere causing dust to clump together. This aids in dust control in two ways. First, the road surface tends to form a hard crust that does not have loose dust particles. And second, larger and heavier dust particles do not float about as much.

The cost to participate is $1.50 per linear foot of roadway treated plus an administrative fee of $60 per location.

The expected life of dust reduction by this method is about one year, depending on weather, road and traffic conditions. Every reasonable effort will be made to obtain the best practical dust reduction.

The program is available to all residents in Douglas County living adjacent to public roadways. If the road is township maintained, cooperation with the Township Board is needed to prepare the road prior to application and protect it from blading as long as possible after treatment.

Applications are available online and at the Douglas County Public Works Department at 3755 E. 25th Street in Lawrence. Pre-payment must be received in the Public Works Department office by 5 p.m. Friday, March 11, in order to participate in this program.

For more information, contact the Douglas County Public Works Department at 785-832-5293 or visit the department’s webpage.