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I live on a hillside and due to the road being narrow large trucks and school buses use an old driveway to turn around. My problem is that every time it rains it tends to wash the gravel away and sometimes on to the top of the road. I am looking for a recommendation for fixing this issue. Currently, there is not significant ditch cut into the ground because the lot is full of large boulders and rocks. With these large boulders I do not have the equipment to dig them up and/or move them myself. Suggestions?

Below are photos of the area. These photos were taken after I filled and packed the rut down with more gravel. Photo 1 Photo 2

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    Please explain: is this your driveway and you want to maintain it? Are you trying to keep the road itself clear of debris (which is a town or state responsibility)?
    – Carl Witthoft
    Feb 10, 2020 at 19:24
  • It is an old unused driveway that I am helping to maintain. The county is responsible for the road/driveway but it is much easier for me to grade it one or two times then to call the county each time it rains. The rocks are all 3/4 inch rock.
    – Roberts2600
    Feb 10, 2020 at 20:43
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    Generally a problem like this involves a need to divert water before it gets to the area of interest. The rain directly falling on it (the portion used as a turnaround, anyway) is likely not the source of the erosion problem. Water coming down the old driveway or onto it from surrounding terrain and not being diverted away from it tends to be the driving force of this much movement. Put on your raincoat and hat and stand there watching it in a storm to identify the areas of interest if they are not obvious. If the county is responsible, consider asking for assistance if needed.
    – Ecnerwal
    Feb 11, 2020 at 1:29

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One of the things I have done in the past with crushed rock driveways is pack it with a roller or plate compactor until there is no movement, then use some Portland cement on the surface and broom the surface so the cement gets in the cracks, this is not a big area but with a bus or other heavy equipment using it the cement (dry powder) swept in and a light sprinkle with water will help it hold. As an example my last home 1 of the driveways dropped 30’ in 70’ steep. It was crushed quarry. I used several bags of Portland cement it never washed out and really stayed in place quite well for many years.

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    Ed, is that slope an exaggeration? That’s over a 42% slope. The steepest street in the world is Baldwin Street in New Zealand, which is a 35% slope. See here: m.drive.com.au/amp/roads-and-traffic/… In fact, your drive is probably over 50% slope near the middle, because the approaches at the top AND bottom needs to be considerably less or vehicles will scrape getting on the drive.
    – Lee Sam
    Feb 11, 2020 at 0:00
  • I will take a photo of it next time I visit my daughter , we only drive down for the most part Unless 4wd my shop was only 40’ wide and the top of the tallest bay is 26’ . Is just above the road level so yes it is off by ~4 maybe 5 but it continues dropping another 17 feet to the back side of the house and this is not unusual in that area some are longer and as steep , it is 240’ oval with the lower exit much flatter.
    – Ed Beal
    Feb 11, 2020 at 2:07
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Some of the stone in the foreground looks maybe as large as 1-1/4 inch, but the stuff on the road looks like maybe 3/4 and smaller. Runoff could be carrying it there, but it might also be tracked out by vehicle tires.

Larger stone would stay in place better -- you could try topping this with 2 inch gravel.

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  • The rocks are all 3/4 inch rock. But there is a large boulder underneath the 3/4 rocks that is about 5' long and 4' wide.
    – Roberts2600
    Feb 10, 2020 at 20:44

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