I need some advice on how to handle erosion, due to rain, on our gravel road, especially hills. Also the areas around mail boxes are always mud. The mail box areas look like they have all turned to sand. Should I get some gravel to the mail box ares, if so what kind of gravel?
Should I try to build some pipe drains at the top of hills to divert the rain water to the ditches?
I certainly could use some help; I know virtually nothing about gravel roads.
Thanks
The best thing you can have is a crown to the road, that way the water wants to run off the road, into the ditches and drain away.
If it is eroding right down the center of the road, I would try and drag the edges up to the center and get a crown on it first. Are there ditches already? Does the road have a decent base of gravel?
If the mail carrier is making big ruts in front of the mail boxes, you need more gravel added there to build a stable base for them to drive on. If they start getting stuck, you will be picking up your mail at the post office. Not fun for anyone.
One of the recomended methods of making a driveway or road is to put down some geotextile fabric first to keep the gravel from sinking into the mud, then put a base of large ( 2-3 inch or larger ) rock on it, then top it with smaller rocks, say 1 - 1.5 inch.
It depends on what it looks like now, if its bare dirt and a bit below road level, spread some of that fabric ( or old carpet ) then put down a layer of the larger rock, top it with the smaller.
Gravel roads and drives seem to need upkeep from time to time, I have to work our gravel drive a bit now and then to even out a couple holes that like to form.
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