Why is there a drop off at the edge of the road?Why is there a drop off at my drive or field entrance?
Prior to overlaying a road with asphalt, the highway department will berm or remove the buildup along the edge to allow the stone to be exposed and drain water that might be standing on the edge. This allows for better drainage off the road and allows the road to be paved as wide as possible. Typically, the center of the road is crowned or higher that the edges to allow the water to run off. In many cases this crown is much higher than desirable due to previous chip and seals where the center seam overlapped. To correct this situation the edges of the road need additional thickness. The paving crew tries to create a small apron at the drives to smooth the transition. The drop off on the edges through the remainder of the property are later filled with stone to create a small shoulder.
