Friday, June 11, 2010

Airstrip Construction

Beginning this past March, I had a 200' x 1,380' area cleared for an airstrip. Here is the before picture.


Here are pics following the clearcut. I had the logger stockpile all of the tops on the left side for fuel for the stumps to be pulled later. I will burn them later this Fall. Proceeds from the timber sale will pay for all of the dirtwork.

This past week my excavating contractor began grubbing the stumps and placing them on the tops. The grubbed width is 75' and conforms to the runway surface.

Here's a typical grade stake I placed for the contractor, so he can construct the grade I designed.

Final grading began on the far south end.

Runway surface is final trimmed with a dozer. Note the crowned surface and side ditch on west side. I was very pleased that the material turned out to be a sandy loam with significant clay content. This will help in moisture retention and likewise in growing grass. A few rocks were encountered but no bedrock yet.


Here is the middle portion of the site where a major "cut" was.
Here is view looking north from completed end of runway.
Runway is roughly halfway done. Need to grade north half and install culvert. Will then seed and fertilize.