Heavy rain can soften gravel roads and make the surface feel uneven and muddy to the road users. However, the maintenance of gravel roads will not deliver the desired results during wet weather. It is not advisable to grade a wet gravel road, as the heavy road grader equipment would simply make the surface even softer and further weaken the condition and driveability of the road.

It is best to grade the roads only with an expected dry period of about a week. The grading should be preceded by a couple of days without rain and traffic should have at least a couple of days to compress the surface of the road before the next rains occur. Otherwise, the grading work is a wasted effort and the end result may be worse than the original.

The grader will only detach the fixed gravel from the road surface, separating the fine aggregate from the coarse. The fine aggregate will then bind too much water, causing the surface to become wet and soft. The separated aggregate will not become packed again during rain, which then easily results in potholes in the road and further weakens the situation. In the worst cases, contractors will apply aggregate to the weakest road sections as first aid. However, this measure will only improve the situation for a few days. Also, there is a limited amount of aggregate available as regional contracts include a specific number of aggregate tonnes per year.

The regional managers at the Economic Development Centre and the road maintenance contractors are aware of the poor condition of the gravel roads. Maintenance measures will be taken when the weather conditions allow.

Road users need to exercise caution when driving on gravel roads.

Read more:

• Gravel roads (Economic Development Centre) in Finnish