With temperatures now forecast to be above the freezing mark, the Road Commission for Oakland County has issued a new caution concerning the condition of gravel roads in coming weeks.
In a worst-case scenario of a very quick warmup, unpaved roads could rapidly deteriorate if snow melts before the ground thaws.
‘We could end up closing the worst gravel roads if they become impassible, and others could be very difficult to drive,? said Tom Meszler, RCOC highway maintenance director.
Because it takes the ground longer to thaw, a rapid thaw means melted snow water will not be able to soak into the ground, Meszler said.
‘That means the surfaces of many gravel roads are likely to turn to mud,? he said. ‘If there is three or more inches of mud on top of frozen ground, grading the road will do absolutely no good.?
If that happens, the only option left to the road commission will be to spread additional gravel or recycled asphalt product on the muddy road surfaces. Because that option is so labor intensive, it can only be done in the worst situations, Meszler said.
Officials have already talked of the worst season for gravel roads in decades in Oakland County. Unpaved roads were battered by record January snowfalls, followed by an unseasonal thaw and heavy rain, followed by more heavy snow and sub-freezing weather.