Talk:Gravel road

This article is rated Start-class on Wikipedia's content assessment scale. It is of interest to the following WikiProjects:

Highways Top‑importance This article is within the scope of WikiProject Highways, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of highways on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.HighwaysWikipedia:WikiProject HighwaysTemplate:WikiProject HighwaysHighways articles Top This article has been rated as Top-importance on the project's importance scale. Environment: Sustainability Mid‑importance This environment-related article is part of the WikiProject Environment to improve Wikipedia's coverage of the environment. The aim is to write neutral and well-referenced articles on environment-related topics, as well as to ensure that environment articles are properly categorized. Read Wikipedia:Contributing FAQ and leave any messages at the project talk page.EnvironmentWikipedia:WikiProject EnvironmentTemplate:WikiProject EnvironmentEnvironment articles Mid This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the project's importance scale. This article is supported by the Sustainability task force.

This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 9 January 2019 and 10 April 2019. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Milesbd. Peer reviewers: Hypnagogic hallucination, Alpeach.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 22:38, 16 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Never heard of the metal road thing, but sure enough, it's on the web. Search it in google. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.225.179.62 (talk • contribs)

I am from New Zealand and I have NEVER heard of metal roads. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Johannessvanbelkum (talk • contribs) 03:25, 9 November 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I'm from New Zealand and I've NEVER heard of gravel roads. We always say metal roads. Mind you, I'm a North Islander. Maybe it's different in the South. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.5.250.209 (talk) 08:43, 4 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

In Australia, basalt and similar rocks are quarried wherever they are found, and transported considerable distance, to form the surface of "gravel roads", because it is the best rock for this purpose. It is commonly called "blue metal", although it is stone, not metal, because of its typical dark gray / bluish appearance. The usage of "metal roads" in New Zealand, or part of it, probably has a similar source.Lathamibird (talk) 06:15, 13 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I merged in and redirected from forest service roads and logging roads. There is a good bit of overlap, that I did not address. Just moved them over whole. Jeepday (talk) 16:43, 12 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The suggestion that the logger get free timber is misleading. The value of timber as appraised usually assmumes that there is access to it. If building the access is expensive, it may consume most the the value of a particlar harvest tract, but that doesn't make it free to the contractor. the contractor ends up being a road builder who gets paid in trees instead of cash. Those aren't free trees. when done, the landowner has a road that is available for recreational use, firefighting, and access to nearby stands of timber for forest management activities.Rvannatta 04:46, 22 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

A gravel road seems at least superficially very similar to a macadam road, these both being roads of small rock over dirt. Would be good to see the distinguishing points (I believe it is that macadam is specifically crushed rock, and gravel is any small rock of the appropriate size) expanded on. Azurelunatic (talk) 14:38, 21 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The introduction says, "In New Zealand, and other Commonwealth countries, they may be known as 'metal roads'." However, it seems that some sources distinguish between gravel and crushed stone. A 1912 New Zealand report said, "Some 64 yards of metal and about 3 yards of gravel have been put on the road."^[1] Does anyone else think the distinction should be clarified?

Are they referring to perhaps the size of the stone? It would be nice to disambiguate it nonetheless. --Milesbd (talk) 21:07, 15 January 2019 (UTC)[reply]

These adverts suggest metal is larger than gravel, but variable in size - "Contract No. 351— Breaking and Delivering some 2425 cubic yards of Blue, 2in Metal, and Carting some 808 cubic yards of Gravel"^[2], or 2½in,^[3] or 1in.^[4] Johnragla (talk) 22:17, 16 January 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The word metal comes from the Latin metallum, meaning mine or quarry. So, road metal would be crushed stone from a quarry, where gravel is any aggregate larger than sand but smaller than cobble. ^[1] Triskele Jim 02:54, 7 March 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The one caption photo seems to have a dead link in it. Any objections to me removing it? --Milesbd (talk) 21:07, 15 January 2019 (UTC)[reply]

I removed the link, didn't seem to be any objections. Milesbd (talk) 18:43, 6 March 2019 (UTC)[reply]

I'm planning on adding to the Construction and maintenance sections, along with adding some stats, and perhaps also including a section on gravel road classification systems. If anyone has thoughts or directions that could be added, please let me know on my talk page! Milesbd (talk) 18:45, 6 March 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Expanded the section on washboarding to include explanation on how it can develop, and what visual characteristics will be present--Milesbd (talk) 23:03, 26 March 2019 (UTC)[reply]

A section on the extent of gravel roads by country would be interesting. In Australia gravel roads form about 30% of the total and earth roads 50%.^[2] In New Zealand about 60% of local roads are unsealed.^[3] Johnragla (talk) 18:03, 28 March 2019 (UTC)[reply]

@Johnragla:Thanks for the Direction! I have some stats from the CIA world factbook ^[4] but i'm concerned as they're not specifically gravel roads (they could be dirt). Would you think a table would be a neat addition? Milesbd (talk) 20:23, 30 March 2019 (UTC)[reply]

On second thoughts, I see there's a proposal to add paved roads to the road network list. Maybe that would be simpler and a 'See also' link could be added here? Johnragla (talk) 00:40, 31 March 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Gravel road to the same link 2402:3A80:1EAA:72AB:C082:E043:E317:9353 (talk) 05:01, 21 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]