Choose a road by what must travel on it and what the ground is like: a cleared track for people and pack animals, a gravel road for carts in all weather, a corduroy log road only across swamp, and cobblestone only where traffic is heavy and permanence is worth the labour. A crew of 10 builds about 50-100 m of gravel road a day, a skilled crew lays 10-15 m² of cobblestone a day, and corduroy logs rot in 3-5 years. Build the simplest type that carries your heaviest regular load.
Part of Road Construction Basics
The four basic road surfaces for a small settlement, what each costs in labour, and what each can carry.
The Cheapest Road That Carries The Heaviest Regular Load Is The Right One
A road is an investment of labour, and each step up in quality costs far more than the last. The parent article, Road Construction Basics, describes four types. All of them depend on drainage, because water ruins every road surface.
| Type | Carries | Weakness | Labour figure in the parent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleared track | People, pack animals | Mud in rain, erodes on slopes | 1-2 km a day for 1-2 people |
| Gravel road | Carts and wagons, all weather | Needs a large supply of stone | 50-100 m a day for a crew of 10 |
| Corduroy road | Carts over swamp or soft ground | Logs rot in 3-5 years, rough ride | Not stated |
| Cobblestone | Heavy loads, high traffic | Very labour-intensive | 10-15 m² a day for a skilled crew |
What You Need
- A traffic estimate — what is the heaviest vehicle, and how often does it pass?
- A look at the ground — firm, sloping, or wet?
- Local material — stone for gravel and paving, logs for corduroy. Haul distance changes the rate sharply.
- Labour — for the build and for upkeep every year.
Method: Choose A Type
Step 1: List the traffic Foot and pack animals only: a cleared track will do. Carts: you need a surface that survives rain.
Step 2: Look at the ground Firm and well-drained ground takes a gravel road. A swamp or soft ground where gravel would sink calls for corduroy. Use the parent’s advice for corduroy: only where other options are impossible.
Step 3: Match the surface to the traffic Reserve cobblestone for the settlement centre, market square, or the approach to a bridge, where traffic is heavy and the surface will last.
Step 4: Check the labour Work out the days from the worked example, then decide.
Worked Example: Labour For A 1 km Road
Using the parent’s rates:
- Cleared track: 1 km at 1-2 km a day is 0.5 to 1 day for one or two people.
- Gravel road: 1,000 m at 50-100 m a day is 1,000 / 100 = 10 days to 1,000 / 50 = 20 days for a crew of 10, which is 100 to 200 person-days.
- Cobblestone 4 m wide: 1,000 × 4 = 4,000 m² at 10-15 m² a day is 4,000 / 15 = 267 to 4,000 / 10 = 400 crew-days. The parent does not give the crew size, so this stays in crew-days.
In crew-days the gravel road is 10-20 (10 to 20 days of one crew) and the cobblestone road is 267-400. If the two crews are the same size, cobblestone takes about 13 to 40 times as long per kilometre: 267 / 20 = 13 and 400 / 10 = 40. That is why cobblestone is kept for short, busy stretches.
Common Mistakes
- Building paving where gravel would do — most routes do not justify cobblestone.
- Using corduroy as a permanent road — the logs rot in 3-5 years, so budget for replacement.
- Choosing a type and ignoring drainage — any surface fails without crown, ditches and culverts. See Road Crown & Camber.
- Skipping the traffic estimate — a track widened for carts without a base turns to ruts.
Safety
Tools, loads and traffic
Road building means picks, axes, heavy stones and loaded carts. Keep a swing’s length between workers, wear boots, and keep animals clear of rolling loads. Do not let carts onto a new surface before it is compacted.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Gravel Road — the workhorse type
- Combine with: Route Selection — choosing where the road goes