On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 15:27:53 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

"John H." wrote in message
.. .


Sounds like a good idea. I've also seen the use of gravel in parking
lots,
instead of concrete. Gravel allows water to penetrate and not become
more
polluting run-off.

We're talking about heat retention here. And, gravel would be an insane
idea
in huge parking lots where snow needs to be plowed for 4-5 months per
year.


I grew up on a farm in Minnesota. We had snow for several months of the
year. We
also had gravel roads. Believe it or not, they got snow-plowed!

Limestone gravel will reflect heat better than black asphalt, I would
think.

Yeah well anyway...gravel ends up getting shoved into the same end of the
parking lot where the snow goes, leaving bare ground and mud. Then, it needs
to be redistributed in the spring. It also provides an endless supply of
rocks to be thrown by vandals.


The operator raises the blade of the plow so as not to scrape the gravel. It's
not like plowing pavement where the blade must ride on the surface. A half inch
or so of snow on gravel makes little difference to the traction.

Are the vandals in your community prevented from vandalizing by paved lots?

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes