2018 marks the Twentieth Anniversary of the Pike County Conservation District’s participation in Pennsylvania’s Dirt Gravel, and Low Volume Road (DGLVR) Maintenance Program. The DGLVR program provides funding to eliminate stream pollution caused by runoff and sediment from unpaved and low volume public roads. The program promotes Environmentally Sensitive Road Maintenance (ESM) Practices, which reduce road runoff and sediment to local streams while reducing long-term road maintenance costs.

Pike County Conservation District works with municipalities within the county to provide technical assistance and funding for improvements to DGLV roads. Funding for the program is allocated through a cooperative agreement between the Conservation District and the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. The District administers the program locally working with municipal officials to identify potential projects. Additional technical assistance is provided by Pennsylvania’s Center for Dirt and Gravel Roads, PA Fish and Boat Commission, and USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service.

Supplement Local Road Maintenance

In the past twenty years, fifty-one projects in eight Pike County municipalities have been funded bringing just over $1,175,884 in Dirt & Gravel Road funding to the roads of Pike County. A new component of the program was added in 2015 which provided funding for Low Volume paved roads. Within the last two years, two projects have been funded in Pike County under this component of the program with a total investment of $54,000. All of these funds supplement local road maintenance dollars.

To provide technical education and assistance to our Pike County municipal officials and applicants, the District created an Education Reimbursement Grant program for applicants eligible to apply for the Dirt, Gravel and Low Volume (DGLV) Road Program funds. These grants provided by the District assist with costs to attend trainings conducted by the Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies (Center). The trainings focus on environmentally sensitive maintenance practices to reduce sediment pollution and long term maintenance costs associated with rural roadways.

Beyond 20 Years

Throughout 2018 the Conservation District will be working with applicants on a number of Dirt and Gravel and Low Volume Road projects as well as providing some exciting training opportunities for participants.

Local road-owning entities are encouraged to apply for this funding. Local road-owning entities include municipalities, PA Game Commission, PA Fish and Boat Commission, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, PennDOT and other local government agencies.

For more information about the grant program call Pike County Conservation District at 570-226-8220 or email us.