EAGLES NEST TWP— After months of criticism over the impact of tire-piercing aggregate on Trygg Road, St. Louis County Public Works has opted for a major overhaul of the winding gravel road.
According to an email from Brian Boder, deputy public works director, county officials have opted for the removal of 12 inches of gravel from Trygg Rd., followed by the replacement of the gravel base from a pit on Hwy. 1. According to Boder, the pit was selected because of “the favorable fractured rock properties and the fact that there have been no historical issues with aggregate from the pit.”
The county, through public bidding, has selected TNT Aggregates for the crushing contract in the north half and they have been instructed to crush sufficient material at the Hwy. 1 pit to meet the need on Trygg Rd.
According to Boder, his office is currently developing plans and specifications for the road reconstruction and will likely be put out on public bid depending on the estimated price tag. Given timelines for bidding, acceptance and issuance of contract documents, Boder estimated the work would begin in late August or early September and be completed by October.
The gravel removed from Trygg Rd. will be repurposed for parking lots or other projects where the sharp nature of the aggregate won’t pose a problem. Residents and users of Trygg Rd. have reported dozens of flat tires over the past year as a result of fresh gravel added to the road early last year.