Dirt Road Repair

[Harv]

I think I understood this stuff better before we started this discussion. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Just to square a couple of issues here -- for one thing, the geotextile fabric isn't quite as pricey as GlueGuy was surmising. Like I said, I priced it at $250 to $300 per 300' x 12' roll. That would cover (actually underlay) the entire 1,000 foot run for a thousand bucks or less, not "a few thousand dollars".

And are we blurring the distinction between "lime" and "limestone"? The non-spec'd limestone crush I use actually consists largely of about 3/4" chunks plus the fines. When you pack it down, the fines fill in the tiny gaps between the chunks, and the result is a very solid substance. Mixing soil in with it would prevent it from compacting well, assuming the soil is more compressible (squishier) than the crush.

Like I said, I understood it better a little while ago. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[GlueGuy]

Harv,

Thanks for the clarification on the cost. It had been a while since I'd looked at that stuff, and really didn't remember how much it was... /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

I really don't know much about the lime vs limestone issue. However, something we've been using with great success over here is something the local quarry calls "#2 recycle". It constsists of recovered concrete (from various construction projects), that they crush to the consistency of crusher run top-coat gravel. They add a bit of lime to it too. When you lay it down, it packs real hard, and seems to last quite a while.

The GlueGuy

 

[mikim]

<font color=blue>And are we blurring the distinction between "lime" and "limestone"?</font color=blue>

uh...yep...bet i am. guess i wuz thinkin' lime is powdered limestone.

 

[erich]

Doug,
Is your easement only 10' wide? That presents problems in itself. I am in a similar situation but I have a 50' wide easement that is shared with a neighbor. If you think you've got problems at least you don't have a beligerent ( I can't spell and I try hard not to cuss) neighbor to add to the mix. My road is about 12' wide and a quarter mile long with a 100' change in elevation. I was still in the Air Force when the road was built. The neighbor was overseeing it. He did not take any of my advice even though I am an construction engineer and I got to pay half the cost. Any way, I have spent the last 4 years maintaining it myself and correcting mistakes. (He let the water and the fines run straight down the road and fill in the neighbor's shallow emergency well.) At least he plows it in the winter. I have the equipment but he likes to plow.
You have gotten really good advice from these fellas. The one thing I'll add is that I use a Massey Ferguson rake with Gauge wheels on it to grade the road. It is the best way to go. Without the gauge wheels you will have a very wavy surface. Because of the hill, I slope the road one way or the other depanding on where I am. Because the neighbor decided that we did not need any culverts I am limited in road contour. Our power lines are buried so putting culverts in would be tricky now. He did not follow my advice on those either.
Getting the water of the road is critical. I have put in several places for the water to run off. I have more to put in but what I have done so far has reduced the maintenance considerably.
I use cinders from the local university power plant. They are free for the hauling and they pack realy well. Unfortunately they are currently designing a oil fired plant to replace the coal plant.
If I ever move I will never live on a private road again. I was young when we got the land but I am getting on in years and this is a constant headache. I am not looking forward to old age and I worry that if I go before my wife does she'll have to sell the place. We live on her family homestead in Massachusetts and that would be a hard thing for her to do.

Eric

 

[gerard]

Listen to Harv re the fabric! No matter what you put down w/o fabric the stones will eventually push down into the mud if you're on a wet area. I've seen a fair amount of new town and interstate road construction and after compacting a dirt sub base the fabric goes down and the base then starts from there. The cost is cheap enough but it only works well if youre going to put at least several inches of stone cover over it. Otherwise you tend to catch it with the grader blade as you spread and level. (Tip: if you use it you dig a trench at the start and bury the start of the fabric - helps keep it down as you spread on top of it). As Harv said you could do the whole road for under $1K

 

[gordon]

here is a great link on soft bed road building.http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/stewardship/accessroads/accessroads.htm

Yes fabric is the key to a good bed in soft conditions. It's all already been said but in a nutshell, you can't beat the fabric. Also try to get the best drainage possible and crown the finished road toward the drainage.

What you pay for the fabric you will save in stone costs over the next few years. The fabric varies greatly in price as well for even the same fabric. I found the cheapest place was one of the local rental yards,, go figure.

One last thing for grading grade wheels are key for ease of use and quality work.

good luck
Gordon

 

[erich]

Gordon,

That website is great! I'll be putting that grade meter to work.

Eric

 

[DAP]

Thanks to everyone for their posts. A lot of information (too much?) was presented and I feel more informed than ever.

Finally, the rains have made it to the hudson valley and while the wells, brooks, ponds etc are finally getting some relief, the drive way is full of small ponds! Yeeha.

In retrospect, until I can address the drive, it still is passable and saves me a bundle at the local carwash, if ya catch my drift.

Here's what I will attempt to do, when time and money permit. I will lay fabric down on the unstable sections, cover with 3-4" rough hewn stones and then finish with blue shale chips probably the entire length.

With the hopes of starting some more controversy ... does anyone think I'm wasting my money/time with this method?

The "Drainage" story is complicated. Too complicated. The actual easement side runs represent borders to about 6 or 7 different pieces of private property, all flowing downward. That would mean draining into each of these properties respectively. That ain't gonna woyk.

I'm going to bank on the fact that a fabric and stone layered implementation will allow the water to continue moving along it's natural destination, with that destination being on my property and suitably located.

... a healthy and prosperous new year to all people everywhere.

Doug

 

[raptor]

Doug:

A happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year to you and yours as well. Good luck with your access situation as well.

Raptor