Burying plastic culvert pipe

[JimR]

Jim,

Is a 24 inch pipe large enough? I have either an 18 or 24 inch pipe. Can't remember which since I got it for free. When I installed the culvert 6 years ago I read up on how to install them as well as size the culvert base on the amount of water that would flow throught the water shed. I'm lucky in that the culvert is withing 30-50 feet of the crest of a hil so very little water flows through the piple. Also a larger pipe was easier to clean out if required compared to a smaller pipe.

My origional plan to install the culvert was to dig down abit with the backhoe to place the pipe. Reality hit and I did not have time so I just laid the culvert on grade following the natural water flow. This has worked out fine. It may have caused problems if I had high flow rates. I also put in rip rap to stabilize the road bed.

Later,
Dan

The Highway Super told me to use a 24" pipe. I do need to make sure that the inside of the pipe is flush with the ground on the exit side to alleviate puddling. This area only drains when we have rain or snow melt. It is dry the rest of the time.

 

[tallyho8]

If the water constantly flows along the ditch it will not become stagnant even in in a low spot.

I wish we had constant water flow. In south Louisiana everything is always drought or flood.

Bad idea with ditches that are to deep.

I guess I should have mentioned that our ditches also have to follow code, being the right depth and level for water to drain.

 

[LBrown59]

I wish we had constant water flow. In south Louisiana everything is always drought or flood.
I guess I should have mentioned that our ditches also have to follow code, being the right depth and level for water to drain.

Around here they just seem to size the culvert according to the size of the ditch where the culvert is being burried never mind that the ditch is 4 times bigger there than it is anywhere else.

 

[LarryRB]

The ditch is only 32" deep. It is a little bit short of the 36" minimum that I need for a 24" pipe. I will have to dig it out a little bit to get at least a 12" cover over the top of the pipe.

More.. You are required a 3" drop from road, back towards ditch. If you make it even with road, and water runs onto the road from your property, you are creating a road hazard for winter purposes. When I worked Holland hgihway dpt, we put 14" of Amrec processed over a 24" pipe and never had a problem after, regardless how heavy a concrete mixer or other truck weighed. I would have the "new" bottom of the ditch at 41" and you would meet codes. Don't forget to make some kind of headwall, even if with rip rap.

 

[LBrown59]

More.. You are required a 3" drop from road, back towards ditch. If you make it even with road, and water runs onto the road from your property, you are creating a road hazard for winter purposes. When I worked Holland hgihway dpt, we put 14" of Amrec processed over a 24" pipe and never had a problem after, regardless how heavy a concrete mixer or other truck weighed. I would have the "new" bottom of the ditch at 41" and you would meet codes. Don't forget to make some kind of headwall, even if with rip rap.

There are 3 or 4 places between here and the 2 miles into town where water runs into the road from peoples property but it seems I'm the only one the state ever reminds about such water run off.
Water has never ran of my property on to the road but I'm the one who gets the reminders while the state looks the other way concerning the other places draining off onto the road.
The state's certainly making their best effort to protect others from me but who's protecting me from them ???????????

 

[JimR]

More.. You are required a 3" drop from road, back towards ditch. If you make it even with road, and water runs onto the road from your property, you are creating a road hazard for winter purposes. When I worked Holland hgihway dpt, we put 14" of Amrec processed over a 24" pipe and never had a problem after, regardless how heavy a concrete mixer or other truck weighed. I would have the "new" bottom of the ditch at 41" and you would meet codes. Don't forget to make some kind of headwall, even if with rip rap.

Yup, you are so right. We don't want water running into the road. I have a ton of flat rocks that I'm saving for the ends of the pipes to hold back the fill.

 

[Jarrett]

Here's the area that I need to put the culvert pipe into. I just measured the height of the road from the bottom of the ditch. The ditch is only 32" deep. It is a little bit short of the 36" minimum that I need for a 24" pipe. I will have to dig it out a little bit to get at least a 12" cover over the top of the pipe. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to dig it out. Oh well, at least I have until next summer to dig it deeper. I cannot mess with this now as the water runs into a drinking water resevoir. I do believe as mentioned by Egon that the secret to success is to campact the soil as much as possible around the pipe to shift the load to the banks instead of the pipe. I won't be using this road for at least a year after it is done. I want it to settle fully before driving over it. I do have the proper permission from the Con Com, DCR and Highway Dept. to install this pipe.

Holy cow! Utility poles close to the roadway between the roadway and ditch! Yikes!

 

[_RaT_]

Holy cow! Utility poles close to the roadway between the roadway and ditch! Yikes!

Thats how its done here, how do they do it where you live?

 

[JimR]

Holy cow! Utility poles close to the roadway between the roadway and ditch! Yikes!

That's how they are done around here and everywhere else in N.E. Over the last 30 years I have pulled at least a dozen vehicles out of this ditch during the wintertime when there is snow on the road. Not one of then has hit a pole yet.

 

[tallyho8]

All of the poles are like that on the River Road where I live. Cars hit one every week. All the poles have dates on them. I checked the dates on 16 of them in my block and none were older than 4 years old. People don't drive too well around here. Do y'all have daiquiri shops with drive-up windows?

 

[JimR]

Do y'all have daiquiri shops with drive-up windows?

They don't allow those places here in the Peoples Republic of Massachusett's

 

[Jarrett]

Thats how its done here, how do they do it where you live?

That's how they are done around here and everywhere else in N.E. Over the last 30 years I have pulled at least a dozen vehicles out of this ditch during the wintertime when there is snow on the road. Not one of then has hit a pole yet.

I work for Louisiana DOTD and that would be a big problem for us. We don't allow utility poles to be that close to the roadway. Usually, the poles go at the edge of the highway right-of-way, behind the ditches. Now, it may be different on city or parish roads.

All of the poles are like that on the River Road where I live. Cars hit one every week. All the poles have dates on them. I checked the dates on 16 of them in my block and none were older than 4 years old. People don't drive too well around here. Do y'all have daiquiri shops with drive-up windows?

So true!

 

[tallyho8]

Jarrett
In 1989 I was in Livingston Parish and we had just finished hunting on a small narrow blacktop side road and we got back in the truck and started to leave. A drunk came around the curve and headed straight for us in the middle of the road. The road was so narrow, with absolutely no shoulder and with trees growing at the edge of the blacktop, that when I pulled over to the side as far as I could go, touching trees and stopped, that I just had my 2 wheels off the road. I started to get out the truck and run, but then figured it was safer in my truck then getting run over on foot. He swerved into our lane and hit us head on and totaled both vehicles. It sure was scary sitting there and watching him come at us with nowhere to go and nothing to do. Now I can imagine how those poles feel! The poles on the River Road where I live are on a LA. state hwy between the road and the levee. The Army Corps of Engineers will not let them move the poles further up the levee away from the road. But they grow some nice poles in Livingston Parish so it keeps your neighbors working.

 

[_RaT_]

I work for Louisiana DOTD and that would be a big problem for us. We don't allow utility poles to be that close to the roadway. Usually, the poles go at the edge of the highway right-of-way, behind the ditches. Now, it may be different on city or parish roads.

So true!

No question I agree with you, I'd like to see all power and other utilities underground to eliminate the dangers and visual graffiti that is inherent with utility poles.

 

[LBrown59]

You are required a 3" drop from road, back towards ditch.

if you're going to have a ditch above a culvert then why do you need the culvert?

 

[MikeD74T]

I work for Louisiana DOTD and that would be a big problem for us. We don't allow utility poles to be that close to the roadway. Usually, the poles go at the edge of the highway right-of-way, behind the ditches. Now, it may be different on city or parish roads.

Keep in mind that New England roads go back to the 1600's. Those poles are very likely on the edge of the right of way & the ditch on private property. The concept of a 50' or more right of way is much newer than New England. MikeD74T

 

[LarryRB]

[
if you're going to have a ditch above a culvert then why do you need the culvert?

Funny you should ask this. Most who want to access their property install a culvert and gravel over the culvert to get on their property, I have a 4X 4 pickup and could probably access this using the present ditch. I don't however because it is hard on the truck and hard on the ditch. So, people drop in these culverts, cover with gravel and drive on in... It is Massachusetts chapter 90 law, one cannot push snow or ice from their drive access back onto a public roadway... We get lot's of snow some years and always get lot's of freezing rain every year. If the top of the culvert were to be even or higher than road it is accessing, then you guarantee to push freezing rain/ice, or snow onto that public roadway. The property owner becomes liable for accidents and even excessive sanding if required by the local highway dept. Thus, the access top has to be three inches lower than the road..

 

[LBrown59]

I work for Louisiana DOTD and that would be a big problem for us. We don't allow utility poles to be that close to the roadway. Usually, the poles go at the edge of the highway right-of-way, behind the ditches. Now, it may be different on city or parish roads.

Keep in mind that New England roads go back to the 1600's. Those poles are very likely on the edge of the right of way & the ditch on private property. The concept of a 50' or more right of way is much newer than New England. MikeD74T

Today ditches are on the road right of way.
Does the property owner have any right to repair or maintain the ditch?

 

[JimR]

The picture I posted of the ditch is on state property. That road is a state numbered route. The state owns 20' on each side of the road. The town maintains the ditch and road. I had them dig this ditch out years ago. The road was built up with wall stones many years ago. Water would flow under the road and into our front yard during heavy rains.

 

[Dusty]

I work for Louisiana DOTD and that would be a big problem for us. We don't allow utility poles to be that close to the roadway. Usually, the poles go at the edge of the highway right-of-way, behind the ditches. Now, it may be different on city or parish roads.QUOTE]

Keep in mind that New England roads go back to the 1600's. Those poles are very likely on the edge of the right of way & the ditch on private property. The concept of a 50' or more right of way is much newer than New England. MikeD74T

The traditional road right of way in New England is based on the old English roads standards, which are 2 rods wide. A rod is 17.5 feet. The measurement is take on the road center as the road is normally traveled.
Dusty