Residents that live on unsealed roads will be subject to dust over the summer period.
Research has found that drivers can reduce dust levels by almost 50 per cent by slowing down from 50 to 35km per hour. Driving at lower speeds reduce dust and help protect the road surface. Avoiding hard braking, accelerating and cornering will also minimise dust, damage and corrugations.
Council has a limited budget and can only provide dust suppressant to approximately 30% of our unsealed road network program. Not all areas are dust suppressed at the same time. We apply dust suppressant to Northern areas in late November through to December. Southern areas will be dust suppressed in January.
We use an Australian made solution dust suppressant which acts as a stabiliser to bind the road surface to minimise dust for a limited period.
You can view our What roads do we treat? section for a list of roads within the program and when they will be treated. Please note this is subject to weather conditions and plant dependency.
The product is applied during the maintenance grade as part of the full unsealed road network program. We have optimised the program for efficiency and to ensure we deliver and remain on schedule. Unfortunately we cannot change the program to meet individual needs.
We use dust suppressant to minimise the generation of dust from the unsealed road, which is effective for a limited time. Vehicles lowering speeds and driving to road conditions can also assist with minimising dust.
No product can remove dust completely or for extended periods.
Estimates show dust suppressant to be effective for a period of 6-8 weeks. This is dependent on weather, traffic volumes and other road conditions.
The dust suppressant application follows the grading program annually during the summer season.
The product can be graded into the watered surface or applied soon after grading and sprayed directly onto the road surface.
Northern area of the Yarra Ranges will begin in November to December. Southern areas of the Yarra Ranges will start in January. Please note that this schedule is subject weather conditions and availability of equipment.
Other dust suppressant benefits include:
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Reduction of particles becoming air borne (note: no product will eliminate dust entirely and product is effective for a limited time)
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Resistance to traffic wear and retention in pavement
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Resistance to ageing and biodegradable
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Easily applied with common road maintenance equipment
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Workable and responsive to maintenance
Council cannot suppress the entire unsealed road network due to budget constraints. We dust suppress approximately 220kms of unsealed roads which is a part of the 700kms plus network of unsealed roads.
We select roads for treatment based on criteria such as:
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to assist with the stabilisation and maintenance of the road surface
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suitability of the road for treatment
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proximity to schools, hospitals, retirement villages etc.
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number of properties and their proximity to the edge of the road
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traffic volumes and traffic speed
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specific agribusiness requirements
Please note that even when a roads meet all these requirements it does not ensure it will be included within the program.
The number of roads treated on Councils funded program is subject to budget requirements. The program is currently full. We cannot add additional roads that are not listed on the program.
In recognition of this, Council offers a resident funded program where residents can pay for additional roads to be treated.
Only one treatment is applied per year for the roads listed.
Applications for the 2023/24 Resident Funded Dust Suppressant are now closed.
Please note: Council will not treat privately owned roads, private properties, unmaintained road reserves, driveway accesses, carriageway easements or unmaintained laneways.
- Residents can apply and pay to have dust suppressant applied to their road if the road is listed on Councils Road Register for maintenance and not on Council's dust suppressant list(PDF, 238KB).
- Applications and payment for the 2023/24 program must have been received by 5pm on Friday 27 October 2023. Late applications are not accepted.
- The minimum length you may apply for is 100m and in increments of 50m
- The dust suppressant product is estimated to be effective for a period of 6-8 weeks, this is dependent on weather, traffic volume and other road conditions. Due to these factors, no guarantee is provided by Council regarding the success of the dust suppressant treatment.
- Dust suppressant can only be applied once, and no refunds are available.