CURRENT CONDITION OF LOWER ROAD
For anyone who has not had the pleasure of driving up our road lately, it's a disaster. The lower half has exposed bedrock with multiple bumps and some dangerous protrusions. It's not advisable to attempt it without 4 wheel drive and plenty of undercarrage clearance.
The road will be widened by excavating the sides. This gives us the earth to use as fill and also reveals the whole road to better evaluate options for improvements beyond the urgent repairs. Such as the ragged concrete patch.
THAT DARN RAGGED CONCRETE PATCH
Remove up-hill leading edge portion - the worst protrusion. Fill and compact erosion surrounding the remaining patch, making driving smoother and safer while a lasting solution is investigated.
(see FUTURE PLANS)
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DEEP CREVICES IN DRIVE PATH
These erosion ruts begin where the pitch changes from out-slope to in-slope. The water has no escape and the hillside ditch is blocked by years of uncut bush. The amount of water keeps increasing and picks up speed on the steep incline. Volume + velocity = severe erosion.
These ruts are called 'false ditches' are a foot deep in places and force your car to the outer edge of the road. This is particularly difficult if another vehicle is coming down while you are going up.
This will be fixed as described in the exerpt from the
HW guide below.
Regular maintenance will prevent the ditch from getting blocked again.
BEDROCK PROTRUSIONS
THE HILLSIDE DITCH
"My construction crew can't get to the site."
"Gas company refuses to deliver to my home."
"On a rainy day, it took three tries to get up."
"God forbid someone needs an ambulance or a fire engine."
"I can't invite anyone to dinner any more."
A jack hammer will be used to level off the most dangerous places. Then the area will be filled to smooth out and compacted.
Currently, three homes are located along the lower,
in-slope portion of the road. The in-slope pitch directs water into a hillside ditch. This protects the two down slope homes from run-off water but creates an obstacle to access one up slope home. To ensure owners can access their property, part of the erosion crevice already there will be preserved to function as a continuation of the ditch. Rip rap rocks will fill in as it wraps around and rejoins the proper ditch on the hillside. It will be easy to drive over and water will still flow. Meanwhile a culvert pipe under the driveway access will be investigated. (see FUTURE PLANS)
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"*** this ***** road!"
"It's a sin, what we're doing to the reef."
STORM WATER RUN OFF DAMAGING COASTAL ROAD AND REEF
Currently, there is no plan to manage the storm water runoff at the bottom of the road. The Horsley Witten Group is investigating this problem.
INCLUDING GENERAL MAINTENANCE
URGENT REPAIR IS PHASE 1
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
It is long over-due. The plan represents the bare minimum we need for regular use and gives us a chance to evaluate the next phase. Every effort will be made to keep the cost down.
A smoother, wider, and safer road to drive on.
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Even with all the proper drainage, we still have a rocky dirt road prone to erosion. After a few big rains ruts will begin to form again. Nothing short of paving can prevent that.
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The effects will not be nearly as severe as we are experiencing now, and with consistent maintaining, the conditions should continue to improve.
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