How do I fix this?

   / How do I fix this? #11  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have this road going uphill about 100 yards with water (lots of water) running down, especially this time of year. Short of digging a diversion ditch, is there a way to firm it up with stone? How about large rock (what is "large"?) and pack it, then cover it with smaller stuff. )</font>

3" rock(crushed limestone) is what is used for base material and is fairly large. This is topped with 1 1/2" and/or 3/4". For that road 3" would be ok. If you think its to rough after its' pack in a bit then top it with smaller stuff.

You said Lots of water, define lots of water. Running rivers of water? If thats the case you have to address that otherwise you'll have nice rock markers every where the water is running.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The only way to divert the water is to what will eventually be my backyard and patio so I want to avoid that. )</font>

Would you have to divert it? What about slowing it down and/or controlling it?

You could install draintile to do this create multiple swales to slow it down and create collection points. I'm assuming the water is running the direction of the ruts.
 
   / How do I fix this? #12  
Looks to me like you need to raise the road bed and add ditches on the sides. Stone would help firm it up but I think that you would still end up with rivers running down the tire tracks that will eventually wash out your stone. It is awful hard to keep a road until you get the water off of it.

Sounds like you will be bringing in equipment when you start to build and a dozer could cut some ditches and crown the road in a short amount of time.

MarkV
 
   / How do I fix this?
  • Thread Starter
#13  
You guys have all been helpful. It looks like a project for a real, good fix, not a cob job like I was hoping for. The water is substantial and it runs to the point you can hear it trickling. Last year it didn't dry until nearly August. The bottom area never really dried.
 
   / How do I fix this? #14  
I'd rey to cut a ditch on at least one side of the road and probably on both sides, to get the water off the road.

The road base can possibly be stabilized with a few loads of 3" or 4" stone. Around here, the contractors love it for stabilizing junk. It's their standard panacea. You'll want some road stone on top to give you a gradable surface.
 
   / How do I fix this? #15  
I would agree with others, got to get rid of the water first. I would think that running field tile would be best bet maybe 4 or 5 sections at an angle across the tobogon field looking at the photo from left to lower right and away from the back yard... maybe run a ditch along the left of the road with several colection drains which will traverse the drive and field and off. make sure it is not flooding neibors place or else you could get into trouble... If the back yard is at the bottom you HAVE to go ahead and do it right or else you will ahve flood waters getting in the house in one way or the other...

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
   / How do I fix this? #16  
I had a similar situation years ago only steeper. After getting some advice, I ended up lining the road with used broken brick. It is the very cheapest thing you will find and nothing does a better job of creating a base. Have a bulldozer handy to keep packing it down and piling it on. Top it off with a nice thick layer of crushed stone (again packed by the dozer) and you will have one heck of a road bed. The brick provides a good solid base yet still has good drainage.
 
   / How do I fix this? #17  
I think the others are right in suggesting some larger quarry spalls for a good base. Small crushed stone will eventually mix in the soft dirt and you'll still end up with a mud slide.
Have you looked into some recycled concrete for a base course? I may be a little cheaper or it may not. Around here it is just a little cheaper than larger (3"-6") rock.
Can't say what to do with the water once it gets to the bottom. French drains would leave the tobogan hill intact.
 
   / How do I fix this? #18  
You got what is called a sunken road and the water is going to follow it. 3 or 4 preforated 4" pipes at an angle into the field with get rid of most of the water and it will not all be in the same place . Then put some # 3 or #4 crushed stone in it for a base. Let it set like that until your budget recovers the top it off with # 2 crusher run stone.
 
   / How do I fix this?
  • Thread Starter
#19  
Gosh guys. Seems to me a backhoe would certainly be a nice thing for me to have for this project. Hopefully my wife will agree.
 
   / How do I fix this? #20  
Getting rid of the water means planning for the heavy rains, worse case scenerio.

Use the big culverts. Don't even think of anything less than 12 inches, and depending on the legth of the run, the amount of runnoff per inch of rain and how much you want to avoid a flood in you home, you might consider 18 inch.

Fixing the road is easy when it's dry. Basic dirt will work for light traffic with a little rock to cover it.

I'd call in a few local conctractors for estimates and get advice from them while talking it over. Everyone I've ever dealt with, good and bad, will always give free advice.

You can spend allot of money cutting corners and accomplish nothing.

Good Luck,
Eddie
 
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