A Road that won't drain is just a Ditch

[masphi]

I have fallen to the task of maintaining 7.5 miles of what was 30 years ago asphalt roads, and are now a combination of iron ore, gravel, asphalt, dirt and a few substances I have yet to identify. The stable for this tasks included a K5200, MF230, MF240 Case 580C and various attachments to include a 5' BB, 6' scraper blade, and a new Howse 6' Dual bladed scraper drag. All have their places and I am quite pleased with the Howse drag (as long as the roads are dry). This in lies my greatest challenge - no drainage. Crowning the road will accomplish only so much if there is no where for the water to go. The roads are flush or in some cases below the surrounding terrain and I have yet to figure out how to get water to run up hill. I have attempted to incorporate a diversion ditch along the road shoulders but have yet to be victorious. Any ideas appreciated, no hurry mind you I still have a couple of months before I start cutting 65 acres of grass.

By the way did I mention that this is a limited fund project?

At least it has provided a lot of entertainment.

Mark

 

[BTDT]

Sounds like a Cat 12 maintainer is in order. How did you swing this deal? Is this a paying job or just a drive on your property? Sounds like a lot of seat time with your equipment.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

If you can't cut any ditches you will have to raise the road. Is this a private or public road. If it's private narrow up the road . Pull all the stone off the sides to the center . Once you raise the road you create a ditch.

 

[masphi]

The roads are all part of a rural subdivision where I live. Since I have been able to maintain a 2200' grass runway here for the last 20 years someone thought I was qualified. Actually I am the only one who enjoys the challenge, can keep the equipment running and will work for free.

More equipment would certainly be nice and a maintainer would be ideal - neither is in the current budget.

Present plan is to continue crowning existing road material while reclaiming shoulder material. I have been cutting drainage along the road shoulders using BB, very slow progress. Anyone have a better idea?

I don't look at the 7.5 miles just the next 100' so it isn't so bad.

 

[schmism]

it would seem to be the project to aquire the use of a full size road grader for a couple of passes to cut ditches in the sides.

Per the gravel road maintance manual that is linked someplace round hear, they suggest pulling the top gravel to one side, then cutting a ditch on the other, pulling the material to the center to help raise the road at the same time. Then you pull the gravel back to the other side (ontop of the dirt/gravel base) and do the same on the other side.

 

[tommu56]

Here is one link

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/TA/T2Center/Mgt.Systems/PavementTechnology/GravelRoadsIndex.htm


there is another one but i couldn't find it

tommu56

 

[hazmat]

Here's another

maine camp roads (pdf)

 

[DCRC]

IMO. Your going to wear out your equipment and not achieve much over the long term.

Who built the road and maintained up to this point?

Are you being compensated by any of the others that use the road?

And how many people use the road?

 

[masphi]

The road system is utilized by the property owners which amount to approximately 60 homes and multiple lots. The equipment in question is owned by the association and there is a maintenance fund which will pay for the up keep of the equipment.

My time is free and I do it for the entertainment value only.

For the past few years no one has shown interest in maintaining the roads, on in complaining about how bad they were. All seem to in favor of new pavement. A nice thought but cost prohibitive.

It became a point that I could sit back and join the complainers or take action.

We truly do not have adequate resources at hand to correct the road issue; however I am a firm believer that you make do with what you have.

At this time I have all but a very small section of the road network in a usable to good condition. All of my efforts have been directed at reclaiming road material from road shoulders and establishing drainage.

The reward?
Not loosing my truck in the slime and an occasional positive word of appreciation from the neighbors.

How effective would a middle buster be at cutting diversion ditches along my road system? Presently the scraper and box blades are being used with questionable results.

Thanks for the inputs and the web sites have been a great source of information.
Mark

 

[ToadHill]

A middlebuster is going to lay a hill of soil on each side of the furrow so it will tend to build a dam and keep the water in the road. A 1 bottom plow would work better as long as you have enough room to direct the roll to the side away from the road.