Gravel Road Maintenance and Design Online Course

Gravel road running through a rural area with fields on each side

This online course helps supervisory personnel and operators better understand the materials, techniques, and equipment needed for maintaining gravel roads. It also reviews new techniques and ideas in gravel road maintenance. 

Registration

Course Lessons

  • The properly shaped gravel road
  • Distresses in gravel roads
  • Drainage
  • Adding gravel
  • What is good gravel
  • Turning a poor gravel road into a good one
  • Shaping the roadway
  • Dust control
  • Equipment innovations
  • Summary and conclusion

Who Should Take This Course

Supervisors, operators, and township officials responsible for maintaining gravel roads and anyone interested in gravel road maintenance.

Accessing the Course

This training is offered via the course management system Canvas. Upon completing your online registration, you will receive an email confirmation. To access the course, please visit Canvas and login with your University of Minnesota internet ID and password. Once you have been enrolled, your course will appear on your Canvas dashboard.

If for any reason you do not have access to the course after enrolling, please contact Katherine Stanley at sell0146@umn.edu for assistance.

Technical Requirements

Canvas runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, or any other device with a modern web browser. Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer work best for this course.

If you’re new to Canvas, see tips and resources for using the platform.

Credit

  • Students will earn 1.0 Roads Scholar Program Maintenance Certificate credit and 1 Continuing Education Credit.
  • To the best of our knowledge, this course meets the continuing education requirements for 12.5 PDHs as outlined in Minnesota Statute 326.107. More information concerning continuing education for professionals is available on the Minnesota Board of AELSLAGID website.
  • Students who have previously taken the instructor-led version of our Gravel Road Maintenance and Design workshop may earn an additional credit by taking the online version.

Course Instruction

The curriculum is a collaboration of work from John Okeson and Rick West, former MnLTAP workshop instructors, and Ken Skorseth. Materials include curriculum from our in-person, instructor-led workshop, the Gravel Road Maintenance: Meeting the Challenge DVD, and the FHWA Gravel Road Maintenance and Design Manual.

Sponsors

This course is sponsored by Minnesota LTAP at the University of Minnesota. Minnesota LTAP is sponsored by the Minnesota Local Road Research Board (LRRB) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). This course is subsidized through funding from LRRB and FHWA.