The District of Clearwater maintains gravel roads by:
- Grading,
- Repairing and
- Applying dust suppressant.
Gravel roads are graded to:
- Eliminate:
- potholes,
- distortions (bumps or depressions),
- corrugations (commonly known as “wash-boarding).
- Retain an adequate drainage gradient so that water will run off the surface to the ditch.
When there are soft areas or areas where the sub-base or sub-grade are exposed, these areas will be repaired.
Grading and repairs are done most commonly in Spring and/or Fall, weather permitting (at other times if required). Roads are not graded when the road surface is too wet (or when it is raining heavily) or frozen.
Dust suppressant is applied to the gravel roads in Spring. Dust suppression is also applied later in the season, if required.
Shoulder grading, brushing and ditching are other maintenance activities which are done to maintain (gravel) roads.