The Town has approximately 12 miles of public gravel roadways. These roadways are graded a minimum of twice per year, once in the spring, and then again in the fall. Additional grading is done on an as needed basis.

Grading results in the removal of any pot holes, wash board or rutting that may have developed, and allows us to re-establish the shape of the roadway to ensure that the roads drain properly. Once a road has received its final grading pass dust control material is applied.

Controlling dust along our gravel roads improves public safety by providing better visibility, limits the amount of roadway deterioration and loss of material, and very importantly, improves the quality of life for those residents living along these roadways.

Dust control materials are typically applied in the late spring to early summer period depending on conditions, and then on an ongoing basis as conditions require.

Our street sweeping program keeps our streets clean and prevents road debris from entering into the drainage systems, and then into Lake Champlain. Our goal is to sweep all Town streets twice a year, once in the spring, and then again in the fall.

Sweeping will begin in the spring when roads are free of all ice and snow. Usually, this is around the 1st of April. It takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks to sweep all of the streets once. 

Overweight permits authorize travel by large vehicles up to state registered weights on local roadways and permits are required to be filed annually with the Town. Colchester has a number of roadways that have restrictions to this weight allowance. Our permit and a complete listing of roadways with lower weight limits ("restrictions") are available via the Permits & Applications page.