FAQs • Franklin County, WA • CivicEngage

I live on a gravel road. What do I need to do to have the county pave the road?: Franklin County has a priority program that evaluates gravel roads based on specific criteria such as Average Daily Traffic (ADT), numbers of residents, commercial and industrial/recreational use, sensitive crops that are subject to damage from dust, county cost-benefit, and other factors such as availability of right-of-way. Funds for these types of projects are derived locally. There aren't any grant funds available to pave local roads. Therefore, paving of local roads competes with Maintenance and other construction projects for the limited resources that we have available to County Road. Franklin County has made paving of existing gravel roads a priority and has recently borrowed $4.5 Million to pave approximately 30 miles of road.

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Public Works

1. I live on or near a gravel county road, which is very dusty at times. I was wondering why the county does not apply some kind of product that will stop some of the dust?: Franklin County does not have the resources to suppress dust. However, we do have a permit system that allows landowners to hire a licensed firm to apply approved dust control products on their roads. There are some guidelines that must be followed which are explained in the permit. The permit may be obtained from Franklin County Public Works Department. Dust Abatement Page

2. I live on a gravel road. What do I need to do to have the county pave the road?: Franklin County has a priority program that evaluates gravel roads based on specific criteria such as Average Daily Traffic (ADT), numbers of residents, commercial and industrial/recreational use, sensitive crops that are subject to damage from dust, county cost-benefit, and other factors such as availability of right-of-way. Funds for these types of projects are derived locally. There aren't any grant funds available to pave local roads. Therefore, paving of local roads competes with Maintenance and other construction projects for the limited resources that we have available to County Road. Franklin County has made paving of existing gravel roads a priority and has recently borrowed $4.5 Million to pave approximately 30 miles of road.

3. Why are you chip sealing brand new asphalt?: This is done to seal the surface of the roadway to protect the sub-grade from moisture. New asphalt is quite porous. Also, it gives you a wear surface that makes it last much longer and helps improve traction, particularly in the winter months when we are experiencing freezing rain and black ice that this area is known for.

4. Why are you blading my road when it is so dry?: By blading the road, you are knocking down the high spots and filling in the holes. This makes a smoother road and keeps the holes from getting bigger. We try to minimize the amount of blading that we perform when as much as practical, subject to complaints and road condition. Franklin County does not have the resources available to provide a water truck prior to blading.

5. Why does it take so long for my road to have the snow plowed from it?: Plows are assigned to a plow route with main arterials first, secondary roads next, and gravel roads last. With the responsibility of over 1,000 miles of roadway to maintain it takes considerable time to get to them all.

This action cleans the ditch line of vegetation that helps control runoff.
By pulling the material to the edge of the roadway, it helps prevent the asphalt edge from breaking off.

Cleans the front slope and bottom of ditch of vegetation to aid in drainage.
Puts fines back into gravel that helps bind up gravel to make a more stable roadbed.