Grading Grading 1/4 mile driveway

[Binx]

Need some advice on grading our 1/4 mile driveway. Our main problems are the first 100 feet and the last half of our driveway. The entrance to our driveway is about a 20 degree grade and the last part curves downwards. Both parts have numerous times up to about 10 inches deep in numerous areas. The UPS and Amazon trucks don't help either.

We currently use #5 surge stone because it was recommended and installed by the contractor to stop the gravel from washing out down our driveway.

We now have a MX5800 with a bucket and piranha bar. What do you recommend to fix the driveway? I think we need a box blade and my husband wants to our down crusher stone(?) over the existing drive.

I have attached photos of the worst part of our driveway. I will try to take additional pictures tomorrow.

 

[mwayne]

Hi, Looks like the driveway serves as a waterway in addition to a vehicle path. Then the water cuts across the bend where the washing away occurs. My suggestion is to use the tractor to cut small ditches beside the driveway and put a pipe under and across where the washing out occurs. Since you are now the proud owners of a tractor you could do the job little by little until you get it right and then repair and finish the surface. Look up Andrew Camarata on YouTube for ideas, he has done a few road repair jobs similar to your situation. Good luck!

 

[airbiscuit]

I have a half mile driveway, and I've learned two things:

Water's going to go where water wants to go. (learn wher it wants to go, and then figure out how to slow it down, redirect it, get it the heck off your road)
ANY standing water on a road is bad. Use DITCHs/SWALES and CROWN the ROAD.

Get all the ditching and road crown right before you add any more material (Gravel) to the roadway. Then observe how well the road drains and keep making tweaks.

Here is my favorite implement for making and maintaining a road - a horse drawn grader! (pulled behind the tractor)

Here is one of the videos references above.

 

[Cougsfan]

I agree with Mwayne. First thing you should consider is digging drainage ditches and make sure water doesn't run down your driveway or whatever you do won't work. I don't know what kind or how soft of of soil you have, but that kind of rock you have might be good enough for a lower level base, but I'd think it be better to coat it with something finer on top, like 2" of 5/8" minus crushed rock. A box blade would then work great for grading and leveling, but I doubt it would work well on big stuff that you have. in addition to a box blade, an inexpensive chain harrow would be good to have to make it look really finished.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I believe you get a lot of rain down there so yes, like the other have said, you need ditches, a good crown, and a top surface that will pack but be gradable.We call it crusher run or Stay-Mat locally. Your rock will make a good road base. Here is a section of our road that is similar to what you have with 3/4" Stay-Mat which is a mixture of 3/4" crushed stone down to stone dust with a little clay binder.



gg

 

[ovrszd]

Above posts are all good advice. The "fix" for this depends on how much modification you want to do.

A properly designed roadbed only needs occasional maintenance and rarely needs additional stone.

A roadbed without proper drainage is a "drainage ditch". That's what you current have.

Keep us posted on your progress. We love pics. Driveway maintenance and design is frequently talked about here on TBN. Everyone has an opinion.

 

[nyone]

You either need drainage ditches or a he'll of a lot more stone. Keeping the roadway dry is key to a good road surface. If you have wet or low areas i would use road fabric. Even use road fabric on any flat areas, don't use it on hills.

I built this driveway through a swamp this spring/summer. It was so wet early season that I had to make a corduroy road, dig ditches and put the dirt into the roadway. This elevated the road and made ditches. Notice the stump over the excavator arm, it's the same stump in the second pic. 4months later the swamp is dry and we are backing a 26klb stone truck over this driveway.

Road bed goes as follows. Logs and dirt from ditch, road fabric then 4-8in of crushed stone. The center is crowned.

 

[LouNY]

As has been mentioned get ditches on your driveway as a first step.
If it is a 20 degree grade or even a 20% slope it will take constant maintenance.
I do not run a crown on my driveway it is a steep (14-16 degree) hill it has a ditch on the uphill side of the road and and culverts were it changes directions,
it is about 20ft wide and I have a minimal cross slope to the uphillside,
I do put in water cuts to divert the water off the wheeltracks.
I have quite using crusher run or large gravel as the fines do tend to migrate away and then the larger stones act just like marbles and roll when being driven on.
After the driveway is shaped up with 2 inch and under gravel,then topped with 3/4 minus a bit of course sand added as needed to keep everything bound together is what works for me.
As far as UPS and FedEx they only know one thing and that is drive fast and cut the corners to the inside,they are not the only ones but they will continually dig and chew going up a steep driveway.

 

[woody]

All very good advice so far, change the box blade to a scrapper blade so you can cut and keep the ditches that are so badly needed then put in some culverts where needed then top it with 3/4 crush and run. if you have not used a grader blade before then after you get it looking like you want it spin the blade around and use the back side to make it smooth.

 

[airbiscuit]

A good quality HEAVY Rear Blade would be a good start for you.