Homestead mailing list

[Gloria Morris <gloriamorris59 AT gmail.com>]

On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 6:11 PM, EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net> wrote:
> 1. Our driveway has become a school bus turnaround and this has created
> a perennial depression in the driveway on what is technically the right
> of way next to the road.  What is the best way to slow down the packing
> down of the gravel and the 'digging' that happens when those big wheels
> turn?
>

There are road fabrics you can lay down under the gravel in high use
areas to reduce the wear. This will increase the expense of the
repair, but from what I'm told by those in road construction, it will
slow the packing and digging issues and extend times between repairs.
This should help with problem 3 below as well.

> 2.  Our driveway crosses the dry creek/creek over a couple of 3 ft
> diameter culverts.  The 'roadbed' is gradually built up, but the soil
> and gravel always washes away and exposes the culvert in the roadbed.
> It is only a matter of time before something heavy crushes that culvert
> and someone gets hurt.  I've thought about adding steel plate to spread
> out the load, but that really won't stop the erosion at the culvert.

Rip rap placed along the sides of the road, where it slopes down to
the culvert entrance, and where the washing is a problem, will
significantly reduce erosion issues.

HTH,

Gloria