New Hampshire is called “The Granite State.” If you’ve ever witnessed road construction on NH highways, it’s easy to see why! There’s no need to order gravel delivery from another location—excavating the nearby walls of granite (plus material from old asphalt) and grinding it into gravel is often enough to lay a solid foundation for a top layer of asphalt. Like modern day alchemists, road construction crews can access this precious (and abundant) resource and turn it into a hard, compactible base that feels amazing to drive on!
There are several advantages to using gravel as a base layer for roads. The Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) website states: “Local aggregate base materials typical to those used for highway flexible pavements are recommended, or those conforming to ASTM D 2940.” (ICPI.org) Compacting gravel of differing sizes helps to provide stability and flexibility that supports the top layer. Also, utilizing processed gravel for your base layers produces a lot less stone dust than using other materials, which prevents heaving during freeze-thaw cycles.
It’s not uncommon for homeowners in New Hampshire to have an unpaved driveway. Processed gravel is an excellent material choice for gravel driveways because it compacts very well and drains easily – as opposed to other materials that can pool water, which then leads to erosion. Finally, gravel is the most cost-effective material for road base construction, keeping costs relatively low; allowing paving companies to provide a smooth driving surface affordably.
At Groundhog Landscaping, we do our own gravel processing and provide gravel trucking services throughout all of New Hampshire. We are happy to supply contractors, municipalities, and housing developers with high-quality compactible gravel for their construction projects.
Don’t wring your hands if you find yourself between a rock and a hard place when you can’t get a delivery—call Groundhog Landscaping or visit our website to see how we can help meet your needs!