Plowing County Road??

[smartdog]

It’s time to have a conversation with your county supervisor. Maybe also a signed letter from all residents on your road asking the county to maintain the road. You pay taxes and it’s time the county owns up to their responsibility for their road. I went through this for years and finally got the road paved and snow plowed because the residents kept doing as I described. Good luck and be persistent.

Yes, also the police, mail, fire + ambulances need safe access !

 

[dirttoys]

Don't give them a reason to abandon the road, you maintaining the road gives them a reason to start ignoring it. You pay enough in property taxes that the road should be cleared timely. Send your highway superintendent a certified letter complaining, the road will get the attention it needs. This is a public safety issue.

On the other hand if you want the road abandoned, get the neighbors on-board and simply ask the county, they will comply.

 

[dirttoys]

Yes, also the police, mail, fire + ambulances need safe access !

Yup, sounds like a simple 911 access issue, Call write them all, show up at the meeting. For god sake don't offer to do it for them, unless they will pay per job or abate taxes.

ed

 

[GS1100GK]

I would contact who ever is in charge of the road and ask them to properly maintain the road. If they cant do that I would ask for the contract to maintain that road monthly and get paid to do so. If they dont want to do that then contact all your neighbors and try to make it a private road.

I would be careful about the public road part since it may involve more maintenance than you want to commit to. Buddy of mine lives in a community where all the roads are private and they are responsible for snow removal AND storm drain maintenance, etc. Each summer he spends several weekends clearing debris from the drainage ditches on the side of all the roads. His neighborhood is very hilly and it is a royal pain. Recently, the community using their association fees has started paving the roads which makes plowing easier, but for the roads that are not yet paved it is a lot of work. Good Luck in which ever direction(s) you choose.

 

[JDinVT]

Hello all!

I am not plowing a country road, but my driveway is pretty much a country road. Whether I am doing the driveway or down and around the barn it's a rock base, gravel, and then stay-pack.

One question I have regarding the frontier front blade is - how to be most careful on unfrozen ground? I took it down the road and tried it on unfrozen dirt...and yep...moved some dirt. At the same time, I was trying to rock the plow back by using the loader controls, but ended up putting the mounting plate into the sand a bit too. I am sure there is a learning curve to this, just like there was when I purchased my first tractor with a bucket years and years ago. I should mention I have all the OEM washers on the bottom of the skids to raise the plow a tad - I suppose I could add more, but I want to reduce the possible packed snow build-up turning to ice.

Now - typically this would not be an issue, and I likely would have MUCH more experience by now, but here in Vermont we are very warm (40F-50F daytime temps) for this time of year. I fear we will have a quick cold snap resulting in snow, and thawed ground. In addition, I am (for the first time) plowing my neighbors driveway for her this year - and she just tossed stay-pack down this fall and had it graded out. So there is more anxiety then my own stay-pack that I have had in place for years.

Thanks in advance!

 

[ovrszd]

Hello all!

I am not plowing a country road, but my driveway is pretty much a country road. Whether I am doing the driveway or down and around the barn it's a rock base, gravel, and then stay-pack.

One question I have regarding the frontier front blade is - how to be most careful on unfrozen ground? I took it down the road and tried it on unfrozen dirt...and yep...moved some dirt. At the same time, I was trying to rock the plow back by using the loader controls, but ended up putting the mounting plate into the sand a bit too. I am sure there is a learning curve to this, just like there was when I purchased my first tractor with a bucket years and years ago. I should mention I have all the OEM washers on the bottom of the skids to raise the plow a tad - I suppose I could add more, but I want to reduce the possible packed snow build-up turning to ice.

Now - typically this would not be an issue, and I likely would have MUCH more experience by now, but here in Vermont we are very warm (40F-50F daytime temps) for this time of year. I fear we will have a quick cold snap resulting in snow, and thawed ground. In addition, I am (for the first time) plowing my neighbors driveway for her this year - and she just tossed stay-pack down this fall and had it graded out. So there is more anxiety then my own stay-pack that I have had in place for years.

Thanks in advance!

We are extremely dry here. The gravel roads are as hard as concrete. Loose gravel scattered around. That creates a good/bad scenario. Good that the roads are solid so digging into the roadbed when removing snow will be almost impossible. Bad because of the amount of loose gravel laying on top. A lot of it will get pushed off with the first snow.

I am unfamiliar with the term stay-pack? What is that exactly?

 

[JDinVT]

Stay-Pack/Sure-Pack is essentially crushed stone with a powder left in from crushing. It's to allow it to pack like concrete/asphalt overtime.

 

[RjCorazza]

Some operators use steel pipe on the edge to keep the blade from digging in. When I had a gravel drive I used a rear blade turned backwards.
Front blades are notoriously difficult on gravel or unfrozen dirt.

 

[ovrszd]

Stay-Pack/Sure-Pack is essentially crushed stone with a powder left in from crushing. It's to allow it to pack like concrete/asphalt overtime.

Gotcha!!! Our annual gravel overlay is a combination of crushed limestone. There is a maximum allowance of smaller material. In our case only 10% can be smaller than 1/4". 70% has to be larger than 1/2". Maximum size is 1 1/2" This is by weight.

 

[ovrszd]

Some operators use steel pipe on the edge to keep the blade from digging in. When I had a gravel drive I used a rear blade turned backwards.
Front blades are notoriously difficult on gravel or unfrozen dirt.

I converted a Meyer truck snow plow to fit SSQA on the FEL. I built a rigid frame/plate. Still allowed hydraulic angle. I only used it that way a couple times. I then added 3pt brackets and use it on the rear of my Ford.

It was too heavy. Even with the FEL in float the shoes would dig ruts in unfrozen driveway. I should have hanged it on a chain.

I now almost always use a LP rear blade on the Ford. Hydraulic top link. Hydraulic angle and tilt. With adjustable shoes.