Road

Rural communities need safe, viable roads and multimodal systems to move people from place to place, and to move goods and services to markets, often across long distances. Without reliable and well-maintained transportation networks through rural areas, visitors cannot enjoy travel and recreation opportunities, and businesses cannot ensure delivery of goods.

The Road Department is responsible for maintaining county roads and bridges within the County. The department has 14 employees that include nine equipment operators, one shop mechanic, one 1/2 time building maintenance worker, one roadmaster, one road supervisor, and one management assistant. Two of our employees work at our satellite shop in Halfway.

Baker County consists of over 950 miles of road of which about 192 miles are paved, 512 are gravel, and 250 are dirt/unimproved. We also maintain 88 bridges of various sizes.

Road Department Chip Seals for July 2024





Contact Information:
bcroad@bakercountyor.gov
Phone: 541-523-6417
Fax: 541-523-8233
Address: 3050 E, Baker City OR 97814

Nolan "Noodle" Perkins
nperkins@bakercountyor.gov
Roadmaster

Luke Morgan
lmorgan@bakercountyor.gov
Assistant Roadmaster

Kelly Tanzey
ktanzey@bakercountyor.gov
Management Assistant

Ryan Davilla
rdavilla@bakercountyor.gov
Shop Foreman/Fleet Manager

Road

About Us

Our road crew performs many activities for Baker County throughout the year including:

  • Routine road maintenance includes repairs to the road surface like sealing cracks and filling holes caused by weather and heavy use.
  • Paved roads must be patched, overlaid, chip-sealed or recycled as required. We mark pavement for traffic control and install traffic signs to advise motorists.
  • Ensure safe operation and transporting of equipment when on public roads by removing loose rock.
  • Checking and repairing bridges to assure they're safe and meet the most stringent standards.
  • Mowing and brush-cutting along roadways so drivers have safe visibility.
  • We build, repair, maintain and clean drainage ditches to carry away storm water and reduce the damages of water accumulating on the pavement.
  • Maintaining and installing culverts and cattle guards.
  • Snow and ice removal from the roads.
  • We also crush, haul, and stockpile the rock for much of our roadwork. The County has a few shale pits and hard-rock quarries, and numerous gravel stockpile sites. These sites provide the material for routine maintenance on your roads and special construction projects.
  • During emergencies such as floods, landslides, or icy road conditions, we remove hazards that could threaten public safety along county roads.
  • We review all plans for new construction which might impact the County's road system and help owners and developers establish road access and public facilities necessary when lands are divided and new homes and businesses are built.
  • Maintenance and repair of our own specialized fleet of vehicles and heavy equipment, including welding and fabrication.

    • Road

    Right-of-Way Permits



    Right-of-Way Permits



    Not sure if you need a permit? Call 541-523-6417 or email us for assistance.


    A permit is required whenever an individual, contractor or utility company needs to perform work in the public road right-of-way. For example, a right-of-way permit is required to do construction or repair/improvements for driveway access, installing cattle guards, installing culverts, installation of a utility (water, sewer, power, communications, gas), and storm drain repairs.


    The purpose of the permit is to ensure that work conducted in the public right-of-way is done safely and in conformance with established standards. The goal is to protect users of the right-of-way and to protect the public transportation infrastructure.
  • ROW Application (Public)
  • ROW Application (Contractor)
  • Owner Will Maintain Agreement

    • Road

    Dust Abatement



    Dust Abatement


    NOTICE FROM BAKER COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT



    May 15 is usually the first day dust abatement can be applied to County roads. Please contact us for exact date at 541-523-6417.

    The Road Department will continue to have property owners contact dust abatement contractors directly, as they have in the past. No application will be required from the individual property owner. Contractors applying dust abatement products on County roads will enter into an agreement with Baker County.

    Property owners are still required to acknowledge that the County is not responsible for any supervisory or regulatory actions other than those specifically agreed to in the contractor's agreement, or those specifically required by law.

    Property owners are requested to contact the Road Department if they feel their road needs to be graded prior to the application of dust abatement. The Road Department will continue to grade all county gravel roads twice a year, in the spring and fall, as time and weather permit. The application of dust abatement will not supercede nor alter the obligation or authority of the Baker County Road Department to maintain county roads (e.g. grading, shaping, plowing snow).

    Road

    Snow Plowing



    Snow Plowing and Emergency Response (Policies AND Statistics)


    STATISTICS:
    Regular work schedule: Four ten hour day work week, Monday through Thursday, year round. Full time employee work force: 10 available to plow snow. Each employee plowing snow is responsible for approximately 70 miles of road (3 to 4 passes). Note: work force has been reduced by more than 50% since 1980.

    SNOW PLOWING: PRIVATE SNOW PLOWERS AND THE PUBLIC ARE ADVISED THAT: SNOW OUTSIDE THE COUNTY RIGHT OF WAY IS NOT TO BE MOVED ONTO THE RIGHT OF WAY. IF THIS OCCURS AND CREATES A ROAD HAZARD TO THE TRAVELING PUBLIC, THE PERSON COMPLETING THE ACTION COULD FACE SOME LIABILITY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT THAT RESULTS IN INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.
  • Roughly 700 miles of roads to plow per snowfall.
  • Minimum of 4-inch snowfall required to plow on non-regularly scheduled workdays.
  • Baker County does not clean out approaches (driveways).
  • Baker County does not plow private drives.
  • Baker County does not sand county roads (note: Baker County Road Department does not own a sander and has never sanded County roads).
  • Baker County does not plow at night, except in extreme emergencies.
  • Baker County runs one shift (i.e. one crew per regular workday).
  • School bus routes and collectors are priority roads to be plowed first.
  • Drifting snow CAN cause a need for non-regularly scheduled workday plowing if it creates a danger or closes roads.
  • Baker County will, when possible, widen out/clean up the next regular workday after a snowfall if it has not snowed again.



    • NOTABLE ROADS
  • Granite Hill Highway #502: Cracker Creek to Granite Mtn summit is snow plowed under Intergovernmental Agreement with Grant County.
  • Anthony Lakes Highway #1146: North Powder River Sno-Park to the Resort is under Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort, 541-856-3277.

    • Road

    Road Emergency



    EMERGENCY REPORTS (of any kind)


    Please be prepared to report the following information:
  • 1. Is the road completely closed, washed out, or is traffic still able to get through? Is it due to mudslide, downed tree, failed structure (e.g. culvert or bridge), etc.?
  • 2. Accurate size of material in road causing the emergency (e.g. if tree or fallen rocks block road, how big is the tree or how big are the rocks?)
    Note: This is required in order for Baker County to determine what type of equipment is needed to correct the problem.
  • 3. Give your name and phone number in the event more information is needed. Time and location. Be specific.
  • 4. Please call the Baker County Road Department first at 523-6417. If office is closed call the Baker County Sheriff's Department at 523-6415.