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7. PW - Calcium Chloride Application Staff Report Date of Meeting: 5/4/2022 For: Honorable Mayor and Council From: Charles Fischer – Director of Public Works Subject: Calcium Chloride Application Background: The gravel roads in Scandia have been receiving applications of Calcium Chloride for many years to stabilize the road and control dust from vehicle traffic. Public Works has coordinated the applications through vendors at specific times of the year with the most important application taking place mid-Spring. Calcium Chloride applications are non-toxic, trap moisture from the air, and does not evaporate easily making it an ideal dust suppressant. One major drawback to Calcium Chloride is the corrosive nature to metal surfaces. Typically, one application per year has been done but during dry seasons the southern gravel roads (185th St. N., Oakgreen Ave. N., and Old Marine Trail N.) have received a second application in the later portion of the summer. When the City applies the product to the entire road surface complaints ha ve come from residents of vehicles and trailers rusting much faster than if no Calcium Chloride were to be applied to the roadway. One the other side of the spectrum the City has received complaints that not enough applications are completed or that they are not timed appropriately and health concerns over dust inhalation have been reported. Public Works favors the applications of Calcium Chloride for the reasons of road surface stabilization and dust control. Calcium Chloride helps prolong the loss of dust and fine particles. The loss of fine particles contributes to the loss of larger aggregate and gravel roads deteriorate faster leading to the need for additional grading and gravel to be added to the roads. The City includes the roads of the Cedar Cliff area within the quotes. If treatment is requested by the Cedar Cliff residents, the city charges for this service. Proposal: This year Public Works is proposing to apply one application to all gravel roads highlighted on the map and have the ability to apply a second application later in the season to only areas of concern for dust and road surface instability. Fiscal Impact: Funding for the applications will come out of the Public Works General Fund and have been factored into the total Contractual Road Maintenance Repair line item along with other necessary maintenance or repairs required in 2022. Quotes have been received from two vendors: Knife River and Northern Salt Inc. Knife River has set their cost to $1.34 per gallon of product applied and Northern Salt Inc. has set their cost to $1.322 per gallon applied. Total cost for each vendors application has a marginal difference. A full application through Knife River will cost $22,780.00 and a full application through Northern Salt Inc. will cost $22,474.00. A second application will vary in cost but typically has been half the amount of the initial full application. Options: 1.) Award Calcium Chloride application for dust control to Northern Salt Inc. at a cost of $1.322 per gallon totaling $22,474.00 for one full application and second application later in the season to areas of concern for dust and road surface instability. 2.) Award Calcium Chloride application for dust control to Knife River at a cost of $1.34 per gallon totaling $22,780.00 for one full application and second application later in the season to areas of concern for dust and road surface instability. 3.) Do not apply Calcium Chloride on gravel roads. Recommendation: Option 1