Sand, Gravel, and Crushed Stone Resources

We rely on sand and gravel to:

• Get There
  • Highways, bridges, rural roads, airport runways
• Build Our Communities
  • Schools, hospitals, homes, businesses
• Have Fun
  • Trails, boat landings, playgrounds, beaches

138,768 Miles of Roads

According to the Federal Highway Administration there are 138,768 miles of public roads in Minnesota. A single mile of 4 lane highway uses nearly 340,000 cubic yards of aggregate for new construction. That's over 18,000 standard dump truck loads.
Minnesota Aggregate Facts from NSSGA

70,000 Miles of Gravel Roads

According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation there are approximately 70,000 miles of public gravel roads in Minnesota. That is about 50% of all public roads in the state.

20,000 Bridges

According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation there are over 20,000 bridges in Minnesota.

Concrete Foundations

The United States Geological Survey reports that 45% of the total construction aggregates used by the industry are to make concrete. Concrete is used in the building foundations for our homes, schools, hospitals, and offices.

Other Concrete Uses

Aggregates are the key ingredients in the concrete used for Minnesota's roadways, airports, bridges, wind turbine foundations, sidewalks, and parking structures.

600 Miles of Trails

Construction aggregates are used to develop and maintain more than 600 miles of paved trails and 560 miles of "rail-trails" in Minnesota. Aggregates are also used to build the gravel roads to our cabins, the boat landings on our shores, and the playgrounds for our children.