another gravel driveway issue--need opinions

[dragoneggs]

I have a steep 600ft driveway, what helped me was to dig ditches along both sides, and filled with 6 inch minus rock. I bought a Woods rear blade specifically to crown, but as Crazyal found, a one way sloped driveway worked better. Last month I bought a used Landpride box blade, Im dumbstruck why I never had one before, its incredible what it can do.

Whoever built the original 800+ foot steep gravel shared driveway did just that. Deep ditches and expertly placed on one side or the other with culvert underneath to switch sides with plenty of 6in minus rock. We have had virtually no erosion in the 10 years we have lived here and the ditch is at least 30 years old. Now that it is paved, the ditch continues to work flawlessly with only a yearly clean up around the culverts and where larger branches have dropped. Being steep, and a good amount of flow in the wet months, keeps it fairly clean. We have a lot of spring water coming up on the hillside and the ditches have saved our road from major maintenance other than light grading/rolling to rid us of washboard spots on the steepest stretch.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Water is the number one enemy of the roadway. Shed the water and the road should hold up fine. Bigger drainage features are better in case of a gully washer.

 

[milkie62]

It is pitched more to one side. I was going to put round cobbles in a ditch to give it the dry streambed look and just stake it good for winter time.

 

[Industrial Toys]

A harley rake is great for pulling stuff from the sides onto the center. Then smooth out the center after having gone up one side and down the other. It's like the difference between a hand planer and an electric one, comparing a bladed pull implement to a Harley, that is.

 

[eubie5]

in for ideas

 

[Smokeydog]

We have 1/2 mile driveway thru the woods with a difference of 300’ elevation. Most of the driveway was a wagon trail to cross the Clinch river. 45+” of rain so far this year. Have 55 years experience maintaining this drive. Used to be much like a creek bed and high maintenance. Took decades to contour and gravel. Maintaining your fines and getting water off the road is paramount. Keeping the road solid doesn’t allow water to wash. Have wore out many of grader blades and box blades. Couple of years ago got a Everything attachment land plane. It does what other tools can’t. It has really helped saving gravel, time while making a durable driveway. Takes only minutes to grade and lasts for months. Driveway stays packed and hard longer. Exceeded my expectations. Drive is sloped to one side or the other as it winds thru the woods. The land plane is slightly down on the right, pulling gravel somewhat right to left. Set and forget, drop and pull. Some parts up the driveway, some parts down. Only regret is not using one earlier.

 

[TugHillDog]

Thanks Smokeydog - I was gonna post that the land plane was excellent for resurfacing, having used back blades originally and then a box blade afterwards. A bit of left/right angle helps maintain a crown or pitch, depending on application. I will agree that a box blade is pretty slick for transporting material, but its hard to beat a land plane for finish surfacing. My work flow now is to bust up the surface and dig through pot holes wit the box blade with the scarifiers. Once it was loose, the land plane was a joy to use to apply a finished surface.

I will echo your sentiments about the fines! The road must quickly shed water and you must preserve the fines which lock everything else together!! My trouble is convincing other land owners that share the road to let me put a ditch on one side to help shed water and also to build the roadbed up higher than the surrounding land.

 

[ovrszd]

I will echo your sentiments about the fines! The road must quickly shed water and you must preserve the fines which lock everything else together!! My trouble is convincing other land owners that share the road to let me put a ditch on one side to help shed water and also to build the roadbed up higher than the surrounding land.

A road without a ditch is a ditch.

 

[PILOON]

A road without a ditch is a ditch.

And it should be crowned!