Resurfacing Rural Roads in NC with Gravel
#11
11-29-2008, 05:38 PM
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: along the shore of Mishigami
Posts: 15,716
Received 4,720 Likes
on
2,521 Posts
The county did that trick on the service road up to the dealership, that first right turn onto the gravel not knowing about it was a real gem. Then there was a street cleaner cleaning the curbing. So this begs the question: Are you smarter than a street engineer?
#13
11-29-2008, 05:57 PM
The State did that to the road that I live on and there was nothing wrong with it in the first place.....They have done it to the majority of roads around us, instead of fixing the potholes they tar and gravel over it (those potholes collect a lot of loose gravel too)...Waste of taxpayer money which NC DOT is very good for.....
The worst part is that there is no warning for when they are doing it. Riding on a familiar road and all of a sudden (county line) there's fresh chip seal. Dangerous.
#14
11-29-2008, 06:04 PM
"Tar and chip" is done a lot on PA rural roads, and VA's rural and primary ones. Properly done it produces an excellent grip macadam. Right up there with textured concrete. But until it beds in, the excess fine gravel is....well like fine gravel. It seems like when WV tries doing it, they use too much tar. So it isn't bad right after they do it but the tar rises up to the surface after a while creating slick areas, especially in the summer heat or when wet.
edit; PA and VA usually post "Oiled road ahead" signs. WV doesn't, and it sounds like NC doesn't either.
edit; PA and VA usually post "Oiled road ahead" signs. WV doesn't, and it sounds like NC doesn't either.
Last edited by Ridewva; 11-29-2008 at 06:07 PM.
#15
11-29-2008, 06:21 PM
They do that here in Montana, too. Except we don't have the traffic to ever fully drive the gravel in. There's always some loose gravel, and ruts from car traffic.
it also chews the hell out of front tires...
it also chews the hell out of front tires...
#16
11-29-2008, 06:37 PM
Road Captain
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: 22 miles west of South Bend
Posts: 715
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
#17
11-29-2008, 06:58 PM
Ultimate HDF Member
I've seen it in many rural areas, in Illinois & elsewhere. Fortunately, although I live in a rural area, it's not something they do to all the roads at once around here.
#18
11-29-2008, 11:06 PM
The State of NC has this bad habit of resurfacing the back roads with loose gravel and heated tar. I guess they have to do the best they can with what they have to work with - but dang, they're killing me. They spray out the heated tar on the road and then come along and spread a thick layer of very fine gravel over the tar. The traffic presses the gravel into the tar and after a couple of weeks they come back and sweep the road and repaint the lines.
All this works well if folks will slow down to about 20 mph when meeting another vehicle. But it ain't from doodley for a motorcycle at any speed. They have done this to about all roads around my house ALL AT ONCE. I have to ride thru this crap to get anywhere. The gravel raises hell with the fenders and the oil cooler.
I guess I should be happy they do anything to "help" the country roads, but it's hard to remember this when you have to ride on it. You have to ride the "ruts" to maintain control and if you get to it right after they put down the gravel, it's about like riding in sand - no fun. Is this done elsewhere?
All this works well if folks will slow down to about 20 mph when meeting another vehicle. But it ain't from doodley for a motorcycle at any speed. They have done this to about all roads around my house ALL AT ONCE. I have to ride thru this crap to get anywhere. The gravel raises hell with the fenders and the oil cooler.
I guess I should be happy they do anything to "help" the country roads, but it's hard to remember this when you have to ride on it. You have to ride the "ruts" to maintain control and if you get to it right after they put down the gravel, it's about like riding in sand - no fun. Is this done elsewhere?
Am I lying Harley Joe?
Last edited by badinfluence63; 11-29-2008 at 11:20 PM.
#20
11-30-2008, 07:43 AM
Tourer
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 337
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Same crap in Ohio. It's not fun crusing down a smooth country road, then rounding a curve and hitting the tar/gravel stuff. You either ride through - and hope it doesn't go on for miles - or turn back and find another route.
Still prefer the country over the city though :-)
Still prefer the country over the city though :-)