The Newsletter of the Center for Dirt and Gravel Roads at Penn State

Inside This Issue: New Resources 2 - ESM Field Guide - Aggregate 101 Tech Bulletin Program Funding 3 Overview and Update Insert: PA Road Aggregates 101: NEW Technical Bulletin

Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies; Larson

Transportation Institute; Penn State University

215 Transportation Research Building

University Park, PA 16802 toll-free: 1-866-No-To-Mud

(1-866-668-6683)

1 October 2012

Made possible through the support of:

2012 Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Workshop Draws 180 Attendees

The 2012 Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Workshop was held on September 25th and 26th at Treasure Lake in Dubois, PA. The 2012 Workshop saw 180 attendees from Conservation Districts, PA Forestry, Municipalities, DEP, PennDOT, private companies, and several federal agencies. Classroom topics presented include: Geosynthetically Reinforced Soil (GRS) bridges; a summary of common road aggregates; Aquatic Organism Passage at stream crossings; and use of metal stream pipes. The field trips included stops at: the only GRS bridge in PA; an 11-year old Dirt and Gravel Project with heaving hauling impacts; a pipe installation demo site; a mobile rock crusher demonstration; a discussion on box culvert usage and alignment; and topped off with a lunch stop at the Elk County Visitors Center, where the elk even showed up and were bugling. The 2013 workshop will be held next fall in a location TBD. Thank you to everyone who participated!

2012 Workshop Proceedings: all presentations, field trip info, documents, attendee list, and more: www.dirtandgravelroads.org (Look for “2012 Workshop Proceedings” shortcut at top right under “what’s new”.)

Attendee Feedback: What was most useful about the workshop? 1) Field trips in general. 2) GRS-IBS bridge information. 3) General discussions and interactions with each other, Center, Program. 4) “Aggregates 101” presentation (see newsletter insert).

A bus of Workshop attendees walks the pipe installation demo with Dave Creamer.

This bull elk not only showed up for the workshop, but he even obliged for pictures during the lunch stop at the Elk Country Visitor’s Center!

Q

Did the DSA Specification and

Certification Change Recently?

A Only for DNCR. The Program’s (& PennDOT’s) DSA specification and certification have NOT changed. DCNR Bureau of Forestry, however, recently revised their DSA spec and cert to include a maximum Plasticity Index (PI) of 6. This was done in an attempt to establish a quantifiable maximum limit on the amount of clay included in DSA. Forestry has had some recent performance issues with a few DSA jobs that have been attributed to a high clay content. While DSA must have 10-15% fine material (-#200), those fines are to be derived from crushed rock, not the addition of soil, silt, or clay. All DCNR jobs must use the new DSA spec and cert, available online, that includes the PI testing. We will be monitoring the effectiveness of the PI limit in improving DSA quality in Forestry jobs. If all goes well with Forestry, PI may be included in the general DSA spec in the future. Have a question? Submit it to dirtandgravel@psu.edu

questions from the field

2 October 2012

New Resources Available

ESM Field Guide Now Available! For some time now, you have heard about the “Environmentally Sensitive Road Maintenance Field Guide” that the Center developed in conjunction with the US Forest Service. The guide made its debut in September where it was handed out to attendees at the 2012 Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Workshop. The guide is based This “glove-box” size guide includes over 25 of Center’s

ESM practices.

The ESM Field Guide can be downloaded and printed free of charge at the Forest Service website below. If you wish to order additional hard copies, contact the USFS Technology and Development Center in San Dimas, California at (909) 599-1267 x239. Website: http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/php/eng_search.php Technology & Development Publication number (1177 1802P) Direct link: http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/php/library_card.php?p_num=1177%201802P

PA Road Aggregates 101 The insert in this newsletter is a new Technical Bulletin from the Center. The bulletin “PA Road Aggregates 101” attempts to explain many of the commonly used aggregates related to road work in Pennsylvania. With different specs from AASHTO, PennDOT, and other sources, there seems to be a lot of confusion and misinterpretation out there about aggregate sizes, gradations, and intended uses. This bulletin tries to clarify some of this by summarizing some of the more commonly used aggregates in Pennsylvania. It includes both graded aggregates and rip-rap. This is the same bulletin that was distributed at the 2012 Maintenance Workshop in September. Additional copies can be printed from the Center’s website under “Resources - DSA” (www.dirtandgravelroads.org).

largely on the ESM practices learned and collected throughout 15 years of the Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program. These ESM practices are the same ones taught in the Center’s training and outlined in the Center’s Technical Bulletins. Practices such as French mattresses, shallow crosspipes, “reading the ditch”, underdrains, raising the road elevation, and more are outlined in this guide. The US Forest Service and US Environmental Protection Agency were partners in creating this guide. The US Forest Service plans to distribute them to National Forests and LTAPs around the country. If you have not already received a copy and would like one, please let us know. If you would like “more than a few” additional copies, please contact the USFS directly as our supplies are limited.

The Program’s “Quality Assurance/Quality”

Control” effort:

The QAQC effort visits individual Conservation Districts to assess and recommend improvements to the local Dirt and Gravel Road Program. 2012 Visits: Tioga: October 2013 Visits: 8 visits planned, to be determined. For questions about the QAQC process, contact Karen Books at the State Conservation Commission at kbooks@pa.gov or 717-787-2103.

If a Conservation District has not received their 2012-13 annual allocation advance yet, don’t worry, “the check is in the mail”. This will be the second year of a three-year phase-in of the new allocation formula. Details of the formula and changes made can be found here on the Center’s website. As in past years, Conservation Districts receiving over $25,000 will have to apply to DEP for a replenishment once advance funds have been spent.

QAQC corner

3 October 2012

FY 2012-13 Conservation

District Allocations

You have been hearing about the potential for a Dirt and Gravel Road Program funding increase in an on-again off-again fashion over the past year. Well, the potential is “on-again”, so we thought we would take an opportunity to explain.

Existing Program Funding Since1997, the Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program has received an annual allocation of $5 Million. The funding for the Program comes out of the PA Gas Tax and Motor Vehicle License Fund. It was enacted in 1997 through the addition of Section 9106 to the PA Motor Vehicle Code.

The Need for Additional Funding The Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program is one of the most efficient Programs in the State, but has unfortunately seen its buying power effectively reduced by 1/3 due to inflation over the past 15 years. The Program has completed over 2,200 road projects since 1997. Unfortunately, there still over 14,000 identified pollution sites yet to be funded statewide. Considering inflation, the Program’s current $5 Million allocation will NEVER be enough to address all these identified sites (let alone re-address old sites).

Keystone Transportation Funding Coalition (KTFC) The KTFC is a diverse group united under one common goal: that a comprehensive solution to the transportation funding problem in Pennsylvania is critical for safety and quality of life of all Pennsylvanians. Such a comprehensive solution must address maintenance and capacity needs for PennDOT’s system, local highways, and public transit agencies. KTFC members range from the highway construction industry, to public transit agencies, to air and seaport organizations, to associations representing local governments, and many more. The total transportation funding shortfall in PA is estimated at over $3 Billion. The Center has been participating in KTFC meetings over the past 18 months on behalf of the Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program. Out goal is to be sure that if or when any comprehensive transportation funding legislation moves, that the Dirt and Gravel Road Program is included. It is our hope that an additional $10 Million could be added to the Program’s existing $5 Million annual allocation.

Where Does it Stand Today? It is important to remember that the Dirt and Gravel Road Program’s potential $10 Million is a very small sliver of a potential $2.5 Billion package. Current thoughts are that the next time the Legislature could address Transportation Funding would be early 2013. If it happens though, it could happen fast, so it is important to keep up the constant effort and be prepared to shift into high gear.

How Can YOU Help? Make sure that your local Legislators know how important the Dirt and Gravel Road Program is in your area. Make them aware of the need for more Program funding. Make the case to them that any comprehensive funding legislation needs to include rural roads. An increase in funding to the Dirt and Gravel Road Program would benefit rural Municipalities, Conservation Districts, the State Forests, rural road users, Pennsylvania’s streams, and the general public.

More Info: www.reconnectpa.org/KFC.html or www.bettersaferroads.com/

Potential Program Funding Increase

Important Considerations

events calendar The two-day ESM training covers many aspects of road maintenance and focuses on practices to reduce maintenance costs and environmental impact from unpaved roads. Certification within 5 years is required to apply for Program funds.

Have questions or want to schedule an ESM training? Contact Kathy Moir at: (1-866-668-6683) dirtandgravel@psu.edu

environmentally sensitive maintenance

(ESM) training

Wayne: Nov 14-15 2013 training requests currently being accepted. Scheduling being finalized.

4 October 2012

This publication is available in alternative media upon request. The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualification as determined by University policy or by state or federal authorities. The Pennsylvania State University does not discriminate against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Direct all affirmative action inquiries to the Affirmative Action Office, The Pennsylvania State University, 201 Willard Building, University Park, PA 16802-2801; tel. (814) 863-0471; TDD (814) 865-3175. U.Ed #RES-01-50. Penn State is an affirmative action, equal opportunity University.

Two-Day ESM Training Schedule

Contact the Center to register for a training, or to discuss hosting one (814-865-5355). Registration is also available online at www.dirtandgravelroads.org under “edu/training”. Trainings are set up on request in conjunction with County Conservation Districts.

Other Events

SCC meetings: Nov 14 (Hbg.), Jan 24 (w/ PACD, St College)

Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies 215 Transportation Research Building University Park, PA, 16802

First Class U.S. Postage PAID State College, PA Permit #1

Source (Geologic Origin) – Most PA aggregates are mined from

sedimentary rock such as limestone and sandstone. In the glaciated

regions of NW and NE PA, aggregate is often mined glacial till, or pit-

run gravel. In general, limestone is the hardest of the rocks, with

shale being the softest, while pit-run varies widely in its usefulness as

a road aggregate.

Gradation – The distribution by percent

of weight of different sized stones

comprising an aggregate. Determined

by sieve separation and the loss by

washing of material finer than the No.

200 sieve (~0.003 inches).

Aggregate from sedimentary rock in SW PA

Informational

Bulletin PA Road Aggregate 101 10/2012

The publishers of this publication gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the PA State Conservation Commission and PA

Bureau of Forestry. For additional information or assistance, contact: Center for Dirt & Gravel Roads Studies, Penn State

University, 207 Research Unit D, University Park, PA 16802 (Toll-Free Phone: 1-866-668-6683, Fax: 814-863-6787, Email:

dirtandgravel@psu.edu). Additional copies available on our website at: www.dirtandgravelroads.org.

© 2012 All rights reserved

Aggregate – A mixture of crushed rock or gravel separable by mechanical means. Focus on road applications.

Aggregate specifications have an allowable range of different stone sizes, expressed as a percentage of the total weight of

sample. This gradation specification is reported on a table or chart (see example above). The nominal maximum size of

an aggregate specification is defined as the smallest sieve opening through which 100% of the aggregate can pass.

Open graded aggregates

are “porous” with notable

air voids between individual

stones, and little to no

“fines”. These mixtures

drain effectively, but do not

compact well to form a

dense conglomerate. Road

applications include use as

base material and for

subsurface drainage.

Well graded aggregates are “dense”

with few air voids between individual

stones. These mixtures are not

suitable for drainage, but are

preferred for use as surface

aggregates as they tend to compact

well to maintain desired road shape,

lengthening grading cycles. This is

also a key component in extending

the road life cycle for traffic support.

Aggregate Quality or Type is primarily based on the resistance to weathering

(soundness), the resistance to traffic (abrasion) and the absence of extraneous

undesirable material. For both soundness and abrasion the maximum allowable

amount is expressed as a percentage (by weight) of material changed by specific

tests. For undesirable material the maximum allowable amount is expressed as a

percentage (by weight) of the total weight of the mixture. For these parameters a

maximum allowable percentage is set for each aggregate Type (A,B & C). Lower

numbers represent higher quality.

PennDOT Type A Type B Type C

Soundness, Max % 10 12 20

Abrasion, Max % 40 45 55

Undesirable, Max % 2 2 15

Lower quality aggregates

should be reserved for fill and

sub-base applications only.

PI, or Plasticity Index is a measure of

the plasticity of a soil. Soils with a high

PI tend to be clay. Ideally, surface

aggregates should be non-plastic to

slightly plastic with a PI of 6 or lower.

Open-graded Well-graded

Aggregate sieves

12/2012 NEWSLETTER INSERT pg 1/2

A P

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12/2012 NEWSLETTER INSERT pg 2/2