GRADING OF 1 1/2 MILES DIRT ROAD

[BIGDIGGER]

Looking for cost and time involved in the grading of 1 1/2 miles of private subdivion roads in Rocky mountains. Average traffic is 200 cars per day, road base is decomposed granite. Best case scenario would include 14 foot motor grader,and vibratory roller. But budget might allow for grader only. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[cvg]

How will you compact the fill areas with the grader? If you don't compact, this will be a very temporary fix and you will need more budget soon to repair...

 

[KRSServices]

Are you referring to constructing a new road or the maintenance of an existing road? I ask because "grading" of a road, as maintenance, normally does not require the use of compaction equipment.

Is this for a maintenance contract, setting up a maintenance schedule or infrequent work? There are other cost effective options to the use of a grader if the work is mostly surficial in nature. I am also assuming that the 14' is the moldboard (blade) width. I've managed maintenance operations on roads for years and require a little more information before I can provide an adequate response.

KRS Services

http://www.krs-services.com

 

[BIGDIGGER]

KRS you are correct in the blade width. The road is 20 years old, has been graded twice in those years, most recently 5 years ago, without compaction. Held up quite well actually. The subdivision does not do regular maintence other than "dragging" with a steel drag, which is very temporary. Ditches have filled in over the years, and crown needs redefining. Only a handful of washouts which can be cured, by cleaning up ditches.

 

[KRSServices]

Unless you are intending on builing up the grade of the road by importing/borrow material, you may have sufficient materials in the ditch to work from (minimal). If mimimal regrading is being contemplated, the grader will strip organic materials from the ditch, "pull" shoulders, blade the material onto the road surface and re-crown. Compaction may be required. If there are sufficiant gravels on the raod, those should be windrowed to one side for later spreading or hauled to a stockpile site. The time should not take more than two days. The cost for hauling, grading, compacting should be in the order of cost should not be more than $5,000 to $7,000. If reconstruction is being contemplated, that could be in the order of $20,000 to $40,000 per mile, depending on condidtions, borrow locations, right of way purchase, culverts, drainage issues, gravel locations, contractor availailability and engineering (design and geotechnical) costs.

KRS Services

http://www.krs-services.com

 

[KRSServices]

ooops..hit the enter too quickly. If it is a simple maintenance job, the grader could do a reasonable job and should take no more than one day. My maintenance staff used to re-grade similar roads at a rate of 5 to 10 miles per day, depending on effort required. That was using a 140H Cat grader with 16' (carbide blades) moldboards. Gravelling was with 20 or 25 yard belly dump buggies. Watch out for buried culverts, given the state of the ditches, there are likely a few buried pipe.

KRS Services

http://www.krs-services.com