Road costing advise or opinions!

[SamWalton]

We just put in a 2600' road with 6" of gravel run 12' wide in north texas (about 30 miles south of the Red River). We had all the gravel delivered when gas was at the peak, Sept 08, wish I would have done it now. The price for all the gravel was 10k. $90 per hour seems about right. Will he use a dozer or a motor grader? If he is a good operate he can do it well with a dozer but a motor grader can cut a perfect line.

One thing we did; was make sure that the base (dirt) sat from a long time almost 1 year. I cut away around 4" of top soil and brough in new clean soil and spread. Once this soil was compacted for almost a year we could get an idea of where the water was causing problems before we put down the road gravel. Not removing the grass and not crowning the road correctly will make any gravel road fail. You need to make sure that all the water will shed away from the road and not pool on the road base, and that there is not organic matter growing or in the dirt. I will post some pics later.

I am not sure about the equpment they were planning on using most likley a dozer and I can't wait for the ground to settle.

 

[SamWalton]

I don't really know the best path. Keep in mind this is just a driveway but it does have a grade to it and since the heavy construction vehicles will be a short lived process would it might make since to lay a minimal of large stone and after the heavy work is complete the surface with something smaller?

Does it make sense to dozer a slot for the aggregate so that the finished height is slightly higher to allow water run off and to provide a barrier to prevent the loss of material?

I would like to know the depth required for a good base of shale or stone? And would like to know what kind of underlayment cloth would I need and could I reduce the depth? If so by how much?

Does anyone have some links to a website that shows some simple methods to determine various aggregate types and depths required?

If stone aggregate is used would it make sense to get a very large truck to deliver hopefully cutting the transportation cost? The shale is very close and cheap $80 per 14 ton delivered, where as the stone quarries are 41 to 58 miles round trip.

Rock Producer Incorporated, sand stone, 41 miles round trip
24275 Mine Rd, Bokoshe, OK 74930
$9.25 ton 1-1/2" chip sand stone lateral line of septic
$11 ton 1/2" chip sand stone
$9 ton 1-1/2 by 4" oversized sand stone
$7 1/4" and down rock dust sand stone
$7.45 1-1/2" and down SB2 CRUSH-N-RUN
$9.75 ton 1" sand stone

Souter Construction Co., lime stone, 58 miles round trip
Highway 100, Gore, OK 74435
$6.60 ton 1-1/2" chip
$6.50 ton 3/4 " chip
$5.80 ton 2 & 3" chip
$5.50 1/4 screenings
$7.00 3/8" chip
$5.50 1/4" minus screening
$7.00 20 minus has fines
$7.00 14 minus
$5.80 1-1/2" powered CRUSH-N-RUN

 

[dirtworksequip]

Sam, go with a crusher run limestone material, but first get those ditches cut in. You will be wasting your time and money if you don't have drainage. Your road will stay wet and your stone will disappear into the mud. If you get the crusher run limestone material you should be able to get the drivers to tail gate the material thus eliminating the need for the dozer. The 58 mile round trip is nothing................in fact that is actually close. Get a quote from a trucking company that has tri axle or tandem trucks on how much for delivery to you site and tail gated. Schedule the work when you road is dry so as not to tear up your subgrade. By your pictures it looks like you have most of the work done, just need those ditches for drainage. I can't stress the drainage enough.


Although most people will tell you to put down large stone as a base for the constuction phase, I don't agree. The larege stone will push into the ground when the heavy trucks run on it. A crusher run material will spread the heavy weight out and not push into the ground and actually make a better base. So, just go with the crusher run to start and you will have a much better road. A couple of other drawbacks on using the large stone is that its hard to work with and any gaps in the stone will trap water and therefore compromise your road. Remember water is a roads worst enemy. Also when using large stone for a base mud will push up thru between the stone. On the other hand the crusher run will seal that mud in with the fines that are in it.
Go with a minimum of 6 inches of crusher run. Roughly 300 to 500 ton should make you a nice road. I'm going to do 1200 foot road in the spring an figure roughly 750 to 1000 tons. As far as the fabric is concerned that's the first thing someone wants to do is put down fabric and then reduce the stone depth. By the looks of your grade I'd skip the fabric and put the money into stone. If you are in a hurry get someone to come in with a small dozer and get those ditches cut in. A D3 sized machine should be able to do your 800 feet in a good 10 hour day.
Good luck with your road building.
Sincerely, Dirt

 

[dirtworksequip]

Does it make sense to dozer a slot for the aggregate so that the finished height is slightly higher to allow water run off and to provide a barrier to prevent the loss of material?

NO,cutting a slot for your stone is the last thing you want to do.That will just trap water in the slot and thats what you don't want. Profile the road edges to drain away from your road and keep the road the high point.

Sincerely, Dirt

 

[Danno1]

Maybe the driver used to work at a gas station in Oregon and is used to doing service for his customers. I always heard that is was illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon.

Or and NJ. Only two states in the Union. I can't stand driving through NJ; PIA if you ask me. Although I have been known to top off the tank while they're not looking!

.

 

[PILOON]

This link has a lot of info on road building:

While for forestry roads, it still discuses lots of good basics.

A Landowner's Guide to Building Forest Access Roads - Introduction

 

[SamWalton]

Sam, go with a crusher run limestone material, but first get those ditches cut in. You will be wasting your time and money if you don't have drainage. Your road will stay wet and your stone will disappear into the mud. If you get the crusher run limestone material you should be able to get the drivers to tail gate the material thus eliminating the need for the dozer. The 58 mile round trip is nothing................in fact that is actually close. Get a quote from a trucking company that has tri axle or tandem trucks on how much for delivery to you site and tail gated. Schedule the work when you road is dry so as not to tear up your subgrade. By your pictures it looks like you have most of the work done, just need those ditches for drainage. I can't stress the drainage enough.


Although most people will tell you to put down large stone as a base for the constuction phase, I don't agree. The larege stone will push into the ground when the heavy trucks run on it. A crusher run material will spread the heavy weight out and not push into the ground and actually make a better base. So, just go with the crusher run to start and you will have a much better road. A couple of other drawbacks on using the large stone is that its hard to work with and any gaps in the stone will trap water and therefore compromise your road. Remember water is a roads worst enemy. Also when using large stone for a base mud will push up thru between the stone. On the other hand the crusher run will seal that mud in with the fines that are in it.
Go with a minimum of 6 inches of crusher run. Roughly 300 to 500 ton should make you a nice road. I'm going to do 1200 foot road in the spring an figure roughly 750 to 1000 tons. As far as the fabric is concerned that's the first thing someone wants to do is put down fabric and then reduce the stone depth. By the looks of your grade I'd skip the fabric and put the money into stone. If you are in a hurry get someone to come in with a small dozer and get those ditches cut in. A D3 sized machine should be able to do your 800 feet in a good 10 hour day.
Good luck with your road building.
Sincerely, Dirt

Would our B26 with the LandPride RBT1572 72" REAR TILT BLADE cut in our ditches. We Also have the LR1572 Landscape Rakes which can be moved to the tilt 3pt of the rear blade. I take it you don't care for the shale over stone.

 

[SamWalton]

NO,cutting a slot for your stone is the last thing you want to do.That will just trap water in the slot and thats what you don't want. Profile the road edges to drain away from your road and keep the road the high point.

Sincerely, Dirt

I guess I was way out on that one. My problem is I have more imagination that experience. I am sure that is why we are having this conversation.
Thanks

 

[SamWalton]

This link has a lot of info on road building:

While for forestry roads, it still discuses lots of good basics.

A Landowner's Guide to Building Forest Access Roads - Introduction

Nice link thanks

 

[Egon]

[Would our B26 with the LandPride RBT1572 72" REAR TILT BLADE cut in our ditches./QUOTE]




Chances are it could but be prepared to spend some time at it.