Over time, dirt roads can get pounded down and worn away, turning into gutters when it rains. Get the dirt on this:
Dirt roads were made for driving, but not driving rain. (via Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies)
Dirt roads may be picturesque, but they muddy nearby waters if they’re not properly maintained.
Pennsylvania has almost 20,000 miles of unpaved roads, and some have been around for 200 years. Over time, their surfaces are pounded down and worn away. They become gutters for everything that washes into their path when it rains.
Bloser: “Basically, whatever’s next to the road, the road collects and transports it to the stream.”
That’s Steve Bloser from the Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies at Penn State. He says that raising road levels and coating the roads with dense stone can help restore proper drainage and reduce erosion, which will help keep streams running free and clear.
Hear More:
Steve Bloser describes the why and how of raising road levels.
Get Schooled:
- Take a trip down memory lane with the history of unpaved roads via the Center for Dirt and Gravel Studies
- Get the dirt on the work of the PA Dirt and Gravel Program from the Bay Journal
- Read the story of Red Rose Road, from the Center for Dirt and Gravel Studies
The Fine Print:
- This segment is produced with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, and made possible by the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds.
