Roads & Erosion

What you can do to help maintain our roadways:

Prairie View Estates is served by a system of concrete (other than Old Prairie du Chien Road, which is blacktopped) roadways that were built during various stages of the subdivision's development. Over time, the relentless force of nature has created issues that have require continuing maintenance.

The original erosion control design for PVE, created by MMS Engineers, calls for grassy roadsides sloped in such a way as to encourage runoff to flow into swales located in homeowner yards. These swales, which require suitably sized culverts beneath driveways, empty into ravines. In areas where this design was robustly implemented and maintained, erosion has been minimal. However, lawns without this design in place, and even some with seemingly suitable swales in place (especially those located along steep hills) remain vulnerable. 

For example, when it rains or when the snow melts, runoff picks up velocity as it flows downhill, finding its way into roadside gaps that tend to expand and contract as the soil reacts to changing temperatures. In this way runoff seeps into weak spots and creates small erosion holes. If these holes are not filled, they get bigger from succeeding rains or snow melt. Sooner or later, a void evolves beside or beneath the concrete. Along hilly stretches especially, these voids enlarge over time and must be addressed to preserve the road's integrity.

Other vulnerable spots include cracks in the concrete or inadequately sealed driveways abutting the street. Runoff can seep through, potentially creating voids along the road or beneath the street.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

PVE HOA relies on volunteer participation by homeowners. Even those not currently serving on the board or one of its committees can help. For example, if erosion occurs along the roadside fronting your property, you strongly encouraged to fix the problem so it doesn't get worse. If you're not sure what to do, please ask a member of the board or roads committee.

If your driveway becomes an inlet for runoff because the material used to fill the gap between the driveway and the street deteriorates, take action. Kill weeds in the gap and clean it out (a power washer is ideal but not mandatory). Apply gap filler, ideally even with the level of the road. Various types of gap fillers and liquid sealants are available in hardware outlets. Some sealants are more "liquid" than others. Self-leveling sealants work well on level surfaces; slightly thicker sealants are available for raised/non-level surfaces.

BE ALERT

Maintaining our roads system requires every homehowner to pay attention to potential problems. This includes filling roadside erosion holes with dirt, sod, or concrete topped by grass seed. Even the smallest of holes only get bigger over time.

To fill a small erosion hole, consider tightly compacting the hole with dirt or bits of sod, topping with grass seed. To fill a void that has evolved beneath the street, a common treatment is to first dig out the surrounding ground to create a formed cavity, and then pack gravel or dry concrete into the void. Apply gravel or dry concrete only up to the bottom level of the concrete street slab. This will allow enough dirt or sod to be placed on top so that grass seed will take root.

You don't necessarily need to add water to the dry concrete as nature will do the trick.

New grass seed/fertilizer should be covered with straw (gently tamped down) or pinned matting to stablize against erosion. Daily, moderate sprinkling should be practiced for two weeks to help the grass take root.

Unfortunately, experience has shown that one attempt to fill a small hole with dirt or sod might not be enough. If a hard rain washes away your initial effort, try again until the grass takes root. Persistence pays!

If you have questions about erosion issues anywhere within the subdivision, please contact a member of the PVE board or roads committee.

PVE roads right-of-way

PVE's roads right-of-way is defined via "plats" filed by the subdivision's developer with Johnson County. These plats show the "road area" (or total roads right-of -way) to be 60 ft. wide.

PVE's concrete roads are poured 24-ft. wide, making PVE's right-of way beyond each side of the road's edge 18 ft. (60 minus 24 = 36 divided by 2 = 18).

There is a 10 ft. utilities right-of-way off each side of the roadway's outer edge.