Milled asphalt for road surfacing material

[rsherril]

The subdivision I live in is preparing to resurface 2000 feet of gravel road. In the past we have used several varieties and experienced our best results with a high clay content material priced at $9.50/T. It was suggested that we try the milled asphalt at $10.50/T as "with proper methods including water and mag. chloride", it will make a superior driving surface. I have concerns about the more expensive finished price and it has been my experience that all roads will need maintenance sooner or later.
I run the grader and maintain four miles of road here. Traffic is usually 20-30 light trucks and cars per day unless some one has a construction project, then the bigger stuff comes in. Climate is arid and precipatation is wet snow in Dec. - Feb. that sometimes needs plowing with the grader. Rain is few and far between, occasionally too much too fast. Temperatures between 100 and 10 F.
Other concerns include what happens if I do have to work it over and would the dust, after it breaks down, be especially nasty. Any other environmental concerns with this material?
Would appreciate your experiences with milled asphalt as I've never worked with it.
Thanks

 

[CM1995]

I've put it down once on a small private road and it worked out pretty well not having prior experience. The key is once you spread it and before you roll it be sure and water it down. I don't know about mag chloride or how this helps it. We rolled it with my CS533E roller, I think the heavier the roller the better the result.

The millings held up well on this road for 4 years with a few spots where the millings became loose.

As with any finish surface on the road the base material is key in longevity. For a $1 a ton more I would give it a shot.

Others have more experience with the material.

 

[fast_st]

The only issue is the quality of the millings, I had some a long while back, it didn't have any sand or dirt and it bound together after being tire rolled and sitting in the blazing sun, a 4 inch bed compacted and looked like blacktop, it lasted about 5 years but winter and plowing finally ate it up. I've seen some millings where they blast through the base and you get a lot of dirt. It would be great if you could bathe it in oil or something and then roll it.

 

[Jonas302]

I've never seen a road done with millings only private drives My concern is how to clean it up and dispose of it when the road falls apart how would you break up the chunks to relay it Also if they are selling it for that purpose there should be another road to go look at to see how it works out

 

[tbone1471]

I have done many with millimgs. They work great. Better than stone. Packs in tight when done properly. Any road is going to need maintenance, asphalt, concrete, gravel. Doesn't matter. We usually get about 4 to 5 years out of a drive depending on traffic and speed on the road. Have to keep the speeds down.

You want wear course millings, the too 2 inches. The stuff fast is talking about are base millings. They work but have sub base in them and less tar so they don't stick together as well.

 

[DIYDAVE]

I wouldn't want to do it in the snow... Best time of year to put down millings would be first hot week in summer. Also would be concerned with the quality. You want the millings that come up the conveyor, from the milling machine. If you get the big crap that is broke up pothole chunks, your road will be bumpy, particularly bad if there a bunch of a$$hole citiots, who want to drive at highway speeds, on a dirt road...:cussing:Banghead

 

[Hoppsxc140]

Ask if they are screened or straight from the grinder into a pile and then sold to you. We screen all of our grindings and for driveways and parking lots place them with a paver. This has lead to almost no raveling because of coarse areas. Most asphalt suppliers should be screening their recycle anyways so it really doesn't add any additional cost other than placement.

 

[Jim D]

The wear surface millings are what you want. I think they withstand snow and winter weather better than road base with much clay content, tho' my experience is only with construction yards and parking areas. Re-grading isn't a problem, no worse dust or anything.

You wrote about magnesium chloride on the road; I'm not an expert, but I know that calcium chloride is used for dust control, and I've read that it is the only salt that is useful for that purpose. Have you used magnesium chloride on the roads, and does it work? I'm curious and like to learn about these things...

+1 to what Hoppsxc wrote.