Culvert Tune Up

[tinsnip]

First, I'd like to say thanks to all the posters here in the TractorByNet forums for the education I've received while reading the discussions. Great stuff. I've just signed for a new tractor (my first)—a JD 4120—and prior to the purchase I spent a lot of time in these discussions and picked up some excellent ideas/tips/explanations. Not the least of which was the great threads on safety. In the process, I've come across this section on projects and wonder if anyone has an idea on how best to fix my problem.

My gravel drive slopes downhill from the house and runs about 900 feet to the town road. The town road intersects with the end of my drive and is also sloped, but in a direction that's 90 degrees from the slope of the drive. The town installed a new culvert 4 years ago and it was fine for a couple of years. But during the past 2 springs, it's been dropping as much as 4 inches during the thaw. Last year, I dropped some fill into the trench the dropping culvert created and that was fine for the summer/fall, but now it's dropped again.

Would adding some rip-rap around the opening on the uphill side of the culvert make any difference? What can I do to make the thing more stable? Technically, it's the town's responsibility, but my calls for help have been completely ignored. Any suggestions? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Parttimer]

Can you post a picture of the site? There are lots of choices, you need to find out if the soil is compacting or spreading, or washing away first to determine how to tackle it.

Dave

 

[kossetx]

If the town installed it, can't, or shouldn't they fix it?

 

[tinsnip]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If the town installed it, can't, or shouldn't they fix it? )</font>

Yup, they should fix it, but have not been responsive to my calls.

As for a picture, it's a snotty, rainy day out there today. I'll wait for a better one and try to get a photo to show here.

 

[riptides]

Welcome to TBN!

As for your culvert, they installed it..... tell them it is an "emergency services" issue. While I hate to pester and proad people to fix their problems and use an excuse to do it, you and your family are at risk. What happens if it washes out and you cannot get to your house?

Plus, even with a tractor, grading to get the right angle and flow to/through the culvert will be an issue. You may/might cause more problems, fixing their problem.

FWIW
-Mike Z.

 

[CurlyDave]

If you fix it and problems continue, you will liable for fixing the problems.

If they fix it, the liability remains with them.

Take pictures, and then more pictures. Add more fill over the dip, and take pictures of that. This will fix it long enough to be usable. Try to get on the town council agenda, and show them your pictures.

 

[3RRL]

Also send a picture to the local newspaper along with a description of the problem...and a scenario alluding to some kind of worstening destruction because of it. Maybe you'll get a response?

 

[tinsnip]

I know you're all right to spend the effort to get those responsible to fix it (as they should), but my little town is just that. Little (pop. 1,200). Newspaper? Uh, no such thing. There is a road commissioner however, and I've served with him on several town boards, including the Planning Commission, all of which adds up to zero when it comes to influence. The first year it happened, I called every week for 4 weeks and then fixed it myself before I put a permanent dent in the roof of my truck cab with my head. I've come to realize that living in a small town has many wonderful things in its favor. Road conditions/maintenance not being one of them.

 

[GaryE]

<font color="blue"> I've come to realize that living in a small town has many wonderful things in its favor. Road conditions/maintenance not being one of them.
</font>

Saturday I got tired of waiting for the town to grade my road so I decided to just do it myself. If I were you, I would just dig up the culvert and fix it correctly. No sense getting upset every time you have to pull out of your driveway! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Gary

 

[tinsnip]

Yup. That's the plan. Although I could wait and see if it fixes itself. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Thanks everyone.

 

[jinman]

I agree with GaryE. In a little town you should take responsibility for the culvert yourself, even though they "technically" have responsibility. I'd just bite the bullet and fix it.

Culverts in my Texas county are the homeowner's responsibility, so I'm used to that. The county sets the specs and will tell you what size you need based on water flow, but you have to do the job and maintain it.

After you fix the culvert, you might drop a line to the town board to let them know what you've done. Murphy's law says they show up to "fix" it after you've redone it and really mess up your job. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[tinsnip]

Roger that. Except, in an extension of Murphy's law, if I told them what I'd done, they'd accuse me of something-even if it was done to spec. They have rights to like 25 feet from the road center. Think I'll just fix it and hope it stays that way.

 

[EddieWalker]

I had a similar problem at a house I used to own. I called and talked to people who are responsible for the county roads and was told they were backloged and didn't know when they could get to it. After a few months, it got worse and started overflowing during heavy rains and eroding to the road. It was just about to the road when I was saw them fixing a different problem. I brought the guy in charge over and explained to him how the water was about to start destroying the pavement and that they really should do something before it got worse. He called in to his boss and ended up rebuilding the whole thing that day.

Eddie