Private Roads & Driveway Grading in Vancouver, WA

Private roads and driveway grading cover new gravel drives, shared private roads, turnarounds and parking areas, plus regrading worn drives that have rutted and potholed. Rural Clark County has miles of private gravel roads, and every one of them faces months of rain.

Fabric and rock

On clay or wet ground, a geotextile fabric between the subgrade and the rock keeps the base from pushing into the mud. Over it go layers of crushed rock compacted in lifts. HomeGuide recommends at least 5 to 6 inches of total gravel, and 8 to 12 inches where trucks and RVs will park.

Crown and ditches

Water has to leave the surface quickly. A crowned or cross-sloped surface sheds rain to ditches, and culverts carry water under the drive where it crosses a swale. HomeGuide lists culverts and drains at $500 to $2,000.

Costs

HomeGuide puts gravel driveways at $4 to $10 per square foot, about $4,000 to $10,000 for 1,000 square feet, with grading at $1 to $3 per square foot and crusher run at $25 to $50 per ton. HomeAdvisor lists driveway excavation at $1,000 to $2,500.

Shared roads

Private roads shared by several homes often have maintenance agreements. We can regrade, add rock and clean ditches for the whole road and itemize the cost so neighbors can split it.

Fire access

Roads to homes on rural and forested lots should be wide enough, with turnarounds, for emergency vehicles. We build to the width and grade your fire district or permit requires.

Regular maintenance

Even a well-built gravel road needs regrading every few years and new top rock as it wears. Clearing ditches and culverts of leaves and sediment each fall prevents most winter damage.

Turning a dirt track into a road

Many rural parcels have an old dirt track. Turning it into an all-weather road means removing soft soil, laying fabric, building a rock base and adding drainage.

Paving later

If you plan to pave eventually, we build the rock base to the depth a paving contractor needs, so the asphalt or concrete can go straight on top.

Width and turnarounds

Fire districts commonly want roads wide enough for engines and a turnaround near the house. We build to the dimensions your permit or district requires.