Rural Road Maintenance Program Scheduled March 8

A specialized program on environmentally sensitive maintenance of dirt and gravel roads will be held in Smethport on March 8. Content will be of interest to anyone who maintains unpaved roads, including municipalities, oil and gas operators, timber harvesters, landowners, and others.

McKean County Conservation District is hosting the session from 7:30 am to 4 pm at the Courtyard Restaurant in Smethport. Sponsors include the State Conservation Commission and the Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies.

Emphasis will be on practices which reduce maintenance costs while reducing sediment pollution. A small sampling of what the course will cover includes the impact of natural systems on roads, the influences of right-of-ways, management of roadside vegetation, ditch outlets, road and stream interfaces, and use of driving surface aggregates. A fee of $15 covers course materials, refreshments and lunch. For more information or to register, call 887-4001 by March 1.