Boone County Commission News Release

Boone County Approves Rural Gravel Road Paving Program

COLUMBIA, Mo. (November 19, 2024) - During its Tuesday meeting, the Boone County Commission approved guidelines for the Boone County Rural Gravel Road Paving Program. The program is a data-driven approach to identify, prepare, and pave existing, rural, county-maintained, gravel roads that create a maintenance burden for the Boone County Road & Bridge Department.

Historical data indicates that, as a gravel road’s average daily traffic (ADT) reaches the 200-250 ADT range, a significant increase in maintenance activity is required. Over the past year, the Resource Management and Boone County Road & Bridge Departments have worked to develop the Rural Gravel Road Paving Program as a cost-effective method to convert some of the most heavily traveled gravel roads to paved surfaces, and as a data-driven means of determining which roads to convert. In addition to minimum ADT limits, other criteria will be evaluated as a project list is developed, including but not limited to minimum design width; a connection to at least one existing, publicly maintained, paved roadway; easements; utility conflicts, and safety issues. Since roads and their needs may change over time, the program list will remain dynamic and flexible.

In the fall of 2024, Boone County piloted this program through the stabilization and paving of Calvin Drive and Cedar Tree Lane. In addition to having high ADT counts, these roads met minimum width standards, had minimal utility conflicts, required minimal culvert replacements, and had minimal necessary tree and brush trimming/removal to convert the gravel roads. The success of these projects supports the Rural Boone County Gravel Road Paving Program as a viable means of providing safe, well-maintained roads for the citizens of Boone County while responsibly utilizing both financial and human resources.

The Commission decision to adopt these guidelines precedes the approval of the fiscal year 2025 (FY25) budget. The draft FY25 budget, which was released on November 14, proposes $14.7 million dollars in Road and Bridge Sales Tax funding being dedicated to this program in the coming years.

The Commission is set to adopt the FY25 budget in mid-December 2024 for an effective date of January 1, 2025.

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