Saturday, August 20, 2016

Spur Ranch Road Update

Dear Neighbors,

 

Please be advised that this coming week we will be making repairs to Spur Ranch Road between Rte 285 and the railroad tracks. As you have surely noticed, the condition of the road worsened rapidly after the last grading, with washboards and potholes developing within a few weeks. The washboarding is caused primarily by vehicles driving too quickly (over 30 mph), with heavy vehicles (delivery vans, construction machinery, etc.) especially to blame. The potholes result mostly from inadequate crowning, which allows water to pool after a rain. We do not have the budget to make long-lasting repairs to the road. However, in the hope of making repairs that hold up longer than before we are taking the following steps.

 

1.  Our maintenance contractor will rip the top few inches of the road surface to break up the potholes and washboards.

 

2. The road will be graded to a uniform width of 21 ft, clearing out the bar ditches and scraping gravel back onto the road surface.

 

3.  The road will be crowned to a four percent slope (about a five inch drop from the centerline to the edge).

 

This work will likely take several days, so be careful when driving near road machinery. Once the grading is completed, please stay in your lane and do not drive down the center of the road. Doing so quickly destroys the road crown and creates ruts which aggravate potholes. Also, be on the lookout for speeders. If you notice commercial vehicles speeding, please feel free to phone the company and complain.

 

Thanks,

Jim Garland

President, Spur Ranch Road Association