March 10, 2010
With spring approaching and area roads thawing out, the Washington County Engineer's Office is warning people to not go mud running on local county roads. Mud running damages the roadway and leaves large ruts behind that can create driving hazards. Not only do these ruts make it difficult for nearby landowners who need to use the roads for travel and farming, but they can be costly to repair.
Several county offices are continuing to work together to stop these damaging joy rides. Individuals caught mud running may be charged with criminal mischief and be forced to pay for the cost of repairing the road. Individuals causing damage on a “Class C” roadway (dirt roads marked as local access only) may also be charged with trespassing.
Mud running on dirt roads may seem fun, but it is a costly activity. According to County Engineer Jacob Thorius, it costs hundreds of dollars to repair damage done during a single joyride and takes away maintenance time for other roads in need of work. Thorius said, “This activity should be a source of aggravation for county taxpayers because fixing these roads takes tax dollars to fix them and reduces the amount of money available to work on other roads.”
Residents who see mud runners are encouraged to contact the Sheriff's Office at 653-2107. Additional information on county road policies is available from the office of the County Engineer at 653-7731 or at www.washingtonroads.org.
