Natural Road Building

[gtill]

opuntia, or cockerell or prickly pear, a cactus that likes dry, wet and sun, likes California! Mabe just grow it thick, and plow under when grown, ideally should be able to plant highways, cinder@mulch, Opuntia and Plow in throughly, add water, Organic Pavement!

[mella l]

Both of these sites are quite interesting reading! Thanks.

It would be worth a sub standard subdivision's time and money to perhaps do a few side roads and test this out. From what I have read, the conditions on island are ideal for these products. If we were there now I would definately do my driveway to start. Anything to get out of the oil business sounds good to me, especially if these products are as durable, practable and non poisonous to ground water as they sound!

So who is going to do the on island experiments? Hey we could use a coqui sprayer for application! LOL WHO will be first???

Thanks Rob and Art!

mella l

[canhle]

Rob,
I would love to try this new natural road building for my driveway. May be we can get together and share cost of supplies.

canhle

[oink]

Prior to paving the road in S. Fl. I currently live on, it was originally sugar sand. This required grading twice per week and during dry weather was washboard later the day it was graded. When bad, the washboard would give you two speed choices, 5-10MPH or 50 MPH. 50 wasn't very safe. During the rainy season, it could become a disaster nearly requiring a 4X4. Fortunately, it was a county road and thusly maintained by the county. The county eventually decided to cut maintenance by laying down a layer of shell rock. This did help stabilize the road but during a dry season it turned a bumpy dusty road into what looked like a winter wonderland from the drifting shell rock dust as the top few inches were quickly ground into baby powder dust. Then they found out that shell rock dust did bad things to people's lungs. The next solution was what I believe was a version of this http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/articl...81108a.xml called Road Oyl in the linked article. It was called something else when the county used it but I think it was the same. I don't recall the name but it began with a "B". I think it was Pine Bitumen but googling was unsuccessful. We heard, at the time, that ideally it was to be plowed or mixed into the top layer (several inches) of the road and then compacted. The county elected to just use a tanker drip truck and apply it. It stank a bit like Brunswick Georgia and was a real mess for the first few cars to travel it. Where it was able to form an unbroken layer after mixing with the dust, it produced a fairly asphalt like surface. I thought I remembered hearing it was water soluble. It would withstand a fair amount of rain but they would eventually have to reapply it. They eventually gave up and paved it with asphalt. I wondered at the time what would have happened if a thin layer of sealing tar had been applied on top to seal it. While it lasted, it produced a decent pavement. You must remember the county did no preparation. This was put down in an area that was originally a lowland pine/palmetto environment known for flooding during the rainy season. The base was sugar sand with a layer of shell rock that was thin or nonexistent in places. The road was subjected to both very dry conditions as well as flooding which would result it it being largely covered with water for up to three days. The county did no preparation other than laying it down with a tanker. I provided this long and mostly irrelevant narrative as I appear to be the only person here with first hand experience with these products.

ps: They did a crap job with the asphalt too.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[Rob Tucker]

I have been told that Orchidland is moving ahead with a test mile of the enzyme road building technique.

I am working with Xzyme Corp to do a pond on my farm.

Some of us are pretty excited about this method.

[canhle]

Rob,
Please keep us update on your pond.

canhle

[gtill]

I would also be interested in somthing for 2 new driveways(small). It sounds like a liquid resinous substance, probably non haz and water base!
Ideally if there was a dry mixable powder it would be nice for shipping!
I'd join a hui for a very large purchase! Considering the cost of blacktop, there is a definite possibility of a niche business here!
I googled the material, and it's been around for years, much used by the military! Must be 10 different products, and I believe they will be using it from Kawaehae to Saddle road. The military did kind of mention they could control the dust!
There is also special machinery used to prep the ground (dirt) and inject just how much they need, followed by a compactor! Like a giant roto tiller!
Who's selling it, closest and cheapest?