Compare types of gravel and alternatives for roadway repair

[Rustyiron]

I have found that materials, terms & local soil conditions vary wildly in different regions of the country, therefore giving internet advice is usually worth what it costs.
The only universal advice or guideline is to get the water off of the road surface and moving away from it by "crowning, & ditching". Big stones for the base & smaller with "fines" in it to lock it together for the top layers.
The best advice will be from a local excavator guy or farmer, that would be good if it included a site visit.
Those prices sound high, again a regional thing, but if you have multiple quarries available, you might shop a little.

 

[teg]

...to use to repair my roadway...

How well is your roadway now? Any soft (muddy) spots? Large rock needed for wet spots, then topped... How old is it (might already have plenty of base that just needs to be re-worked)

57's is used for back fill to allow for water drainage... I thought about using this to keep cows off my road (sharp edges). Not really good (read it as: expensive) for road beds.

Crusher Run, IMHO, is the best because you can "work" it in and rework it if needed. Reclaimed asphalt is good if it's professionally done (rolled in). Neighbor tried to DIY with it and it's very bumpy now, hard to rework it. I don't know about the other materials.

 

[747driver]

Good point. Wouldn't trucks get a weight ticket when they leave the quarry. Should be able to check that shouldn't I. Thanks for the warning.8

I get my gravel and stone from Vulcan Materials over by Athens. There is a Vulcan stone yard about 10 miles south of Maryville on rt. 411. I always get a weight ticket. Shows what the truck weighed empty then what the truck showed loaded. If you don't get a weight ticket you don't know how much you got.Also best to order stone when it is dry or hasn't rained recently. The stone holds water when scooped up at the quarry....resulting in water being added to your load !!

 

[newby in tenn]

Generally, the well built driveway is graded so water runs to the side of the drive and never crosses it. The surface has to be maintained so the water does not run parallel and for ruts.

For the driving surface, I use 3/4 to 1-1/4" road gravel, also known as "traffic bond". This is a crushed stone of the size listed with finer stone, sand a clay blended in to help lock the larger material. The larger the stone, better it will support a load and the less likely it will wash out. QUOTE]

Thanks for your help.

My situation is that I have a existing road (~12 years) A good bit has no ruts or potholes. The problems seem to be due to rapid rain run off and standing water in potholes.

The run off is down a 1/4 mile section and contains 2 ruts 2 feet wide and 1.5 feet deep running just off the crown of the road to the low side. I can only take the water off to one side so my thought is to be high on one side and drain to where I can take the water off. Dig up the ruts and ditch to the drainage area. Figure I will need to add rock to re-contour. Would this be finish stone. Would it need to be high "dust" crusher run or just washed stone?

For the potholes I will need to dig to the bottom and then build back to road surface. Then add finish stone to add depth to the road. Do the potholes need to be dry when worked?

I have read "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Should I leave the rest of the road alone or add stone? Is there. a way to tell the right answer.

 

[newby in tenn]

The only universal advice or guideline is to get the water off of the road surface and moving away from it by "crowning, & ditching". Big stones for the base & smaller with "fines" in it to lock it together for the top layers.
The best advice will be from a local excavator guy or farmer, that would be good if it included a site visit.
Those prices sound high, again a regional thing, but if you have multiple quarries available, you might shop a little.

Trying to figure how to best make the crowning and draining work on my situation. All the help you experts are giving is a great help to me. My quotes are delivered prices c

 

[newby in tenn]

I get my gravel and stone from Vulcan Materials over by Athens. The stone holds water when scooped up at the quarry....resulting in water being added to your load !!

About a mile from a Vulcan plant. How long after a rain do I need to wait. Is this any rain (shower) or a heavier rain? Thanks for your help.

 

[Egon]

You don't want washed stone. Well graded crushed gravel is what to use. Don't need larger rock either.

For pot holes the whole area should be ripped/ scarified to pothole depth, wind rolled back and forth to mix it all up, laid back down and compacted with a vibratory type packer. If you only want to work on individual potholes just fill them them with crushed gravel. Chances are they will pound out quite quickly.

To work a road properly a blade is required that can roll a windrow back and forth, lay it down in smooth lifts while adding crown. (Grader)

 

[747driver]

About a mile from a Vulcan plant. How long after a rain do I need to wait. Is this any rain (shower) or a heavier rain? Thanks for your help.

If it has been raining alot i would wait a couple of days after it has stopped. A brief shower or a short rain wouldn't stop me from ordering it. I had 23 tons of 3/4 inch stone delivered last week for $600.

 

[newby in tenn]

You don't want washed stone. Well graded crushed gravel is what to use.
For pot holes the whole area should be ripped/ scarified to pothole depth, wind rolled back and forth to mix it all up, laid back down and compacted with a vibratory type packer.
To work a road properly a blade is required that can roll a windrow back and forth, lay it down in smooth lifts while adding crown. (Grader)

Thanks for the experience and guidance. I hate being ignorant but you speak of " wind rolled back and forth " and "roll a windrow back and forth, lay it down in smooth lifts " and I am not sure I understand specifically what you are recommending and whether I need something other than a grader blade to do it.

 

[newby in tenn]

If it has been raining alot i would wait a couple of days after it has stopped. A brief shower or a short rain wouldn't stop me from ordering it. I had 23 tons of 3/4 inch stone delivered last week for $600.

Thanks for the detailed info. Was that one truck load and a pretty long delivery?