The Pike County Conservation District (PCCD) received high praise for their administration of the Dirt, Gravel and Low Volume Road Program in Pike County. Representatives from the State Conservation Commission (SCC) and the Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies visited the Pike County Conservation District to evaluate the District’s administration of the Program. They met with District representatives, spoke with past applicants who had projects funded through the program and inspected sites where Dirt, Gravel and Low Volume Road funds were used to repair roadways. This Quality Assurance Quality Control (QAQC) review is completed every three years to ensure the program is being administered in accordance with state guidelines.
Results of this Program evaluation were included in the SCC and Center for Dirt and Gravel Roads Final QA/QC Report released earlier this Fall. The program review found that Pike County Conservation District “exceeds expectations” in administration, functionality and project work under the program. Justin Challenger of the State Conservation Commission noted, “Pike County’s administration is setting a great example for other Districts to follow. All project sites demonstrated an environmental benefit and road condition improvements and exceeded the expectations of the QA/QC team.”
Pennsylvania’s Dirt Gravel and Low Volume Roads (DGLVR) Program provides local road-owning entities with grant funding for environmental improvements on unpaved and low-volume paved roads. 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. Funds are made available through the PA Transportation Bill and allocated from the State Conservation Commission to Conservation Districts across the State. The Center for Dirt and Gravel Roads provides technical assistance and educational programs in support of the DGLVR program across the state.
The Pike County Conservation District administers the DGLVR Program in Pike County. The District works directly with applicants — mostly municipal officials and road masters — on these road projects. District Staff provide technical assistance reviewing the road project with the municipality, providing suggestions and reviewing applications to ensure any road improvements will resolve issues with water run off to adjacent waterways. Once the applications are submitted to the Conservation District a Quality Assurance Board made up of Conservation District, PA Fish and Boat Commission and USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service representatives make recommendations on projects to be funded. The Pike County Conservation District Board then takes action on these recommendations funding projects based on funds available. District staff then work with representatives of these funded projects through the contract and construction stage.
For a copy of the SCC QA/QC report on the Pike County Conservation District’s Dirt & Gravel Road Program or more information about the program please contact Michele Ulmer at the Pike County Conservation District at 570-226-8220 or email mulmer@pikepa.org.