Rustic Ridge
2007 Annual Meeting
Roads Report

Bob Ziegenhagen continues as co-Chair of the roads.

Last fall, Steve Wiggin and crew applied black top, also known as macadam or asphalt, in 3 places: 25 feet at the end of Heath Road (6th Ridge) and 55 feet at the end of Spring Road (5th Ridge) both making a connection to North Lane and 260 feet on East Lane (3rd Ridge) near North Lane.

Yesterday they spread TRG (Trap Round Grounds) which is a fine, easily compacted gravel. 22 Tons on the Northern part of East Lane (from Ledge Road to the middle of the lane. 3-4 tons on Oak Terrace to cover an exposed water pipe and enough tonnage to cover 80 feet on Wood Way which connects to the blacktop applied in 2005. Last Fall 10-12 tons of TRG were applied to a low watery spot on The Willows Road. The total cost was $5,240 - $11,90 carried to August 4. Our annual road budget is $2,500, so a big chunk was taken from the Reserve Fund. A number of people had contributed generously for this purpose.

These are the proposed road projects for 2007.

1. On Cliff Road, black top will be applied to 50 feet on one wheel track (one side) and in another place 60 feet of a skim coat (full width) of black top after the crown of the road is shaved off. We looked at this last year but didn’t have enough funding. – the cost would have been $1,500. With increased costs of macadam (an oil product) the price would have been $1,750 this year but Steve Wiggin has offered to do it at last year’s price of $1,500.
2. There is an 80 foot stretch of RTG between two portions of black top on Heath Road that is eroding because of a sizable incline in the road.. It will cost $800 to apply black top there. The TRG will provide a solid base. So far, we have spent $2,300.
3. Steve Wiggin can apply 100 feet of black top on East Lane connecting to last year’s 260 feet. This will complete the downhill run to the level section where TRG was spread yesterday. The cost is $1,000 - $200 is covered in the 2007 budget and $800 needs to come from the Reserve Fund. The Rustic Ridge Board will decide this afternoon whether this expenditure is feasible.

The following is not an agenda or a fixed goal – it is a collection of facts to be pondered over time. Looking at the big picture of the whole Ridge, the remaining macadam that could be done (not counting some flat surfaces that should remain TRG) is about 2,000 feet. 340 Oak Terrace, 330 Wood Way, 300 East Lane, 645 Pine Road and 380 Heath Road. At today’s prices of around $10 per foot, it would cost $20,000. Considering our annual road budget of $2,500, that would take 8 years.

In 1999 Elber Sterns, who is still missed by all, estimated that the private roads on the Ridge san 1.5 miles or 7,920 feet. With 2000 feet left to treat, that would mean trhat 5,920 feet are already in good shape with lots of new macadam.

In July 21, the Powells, Snyders, Ziegenhagens and Abels met to weed-whack, trim bushes and overhanging tree limbs, and clean the roads. We started at Cliff Road and worked our way down Heath Lane and Spring and the upper part of North Lane. We want to continue down the mountain this Saturday morning at 9 AM (August 11). You can call me at 5417 or I’ll call you. The Board voted to hire Steve Wiggin to clear the Willows with his ride-on mowers. We decided that the work is too heavy for our volunteers, many of whom are members of AARP!