This busy intersection in North Carolina sees more than 50,000 cars pass through it each day. While cars aren’t intended to drive on the road shoulder, traffic is inevitable, as is the deterioration of the shoulder itself. Road repairs on the intersection were not meant to encourage additional car traffic, but rather to come up with a permeable paving solution that was stable, durable, and able to reduce the amount of road maintenance at the cost of North Carolina taxpayers.
PREPARATION and installation OfNorth Carolina Department of Transportation
Preparation
The existing paved shoulder was removed and the ground was dug out enough to ensure it was level, and then filled with gravel.
Installation
Once the paver base was prepared, Ecoraster’s permeable gravel grid system was placed directly on top of it. To ensure the grid aligned with the curve of the road, pieces of the road reinforcement mesh were cut to custom angles. Once Ecoraster was fully installed, a layer of gravel was placed on top. The total paver grid installation time, including modifications, was 4 hours.
AFTER
Now that the road shoulder repair has been completed, the paved shoulder is significantly more stable, the ground is permeable, and stormwater runoff is reduced. Additionally, the permeable surface will now be able to grow grass, meaning grass grid pavers are a possibility in the future. With a more stable paver base, the Ecoraster paver grid system will greatly surpass the lifespan of the asphalt it has been installed next to. To ensure the success of this municipal paving project, Ecoraster distributor, Permeable Grid Solutions, worked hand in hand with the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
