Culverts are an everyday sight, but what purpose do large culverts serve?
If you have passed over what looked like a bridge, but underneath was a circular, box, or arch-shaped tunnel, you have passed over a culvert. You might also have seen one on the side of the road, under which a stream, stormwater runoff, or even vehicles or pedestrians go. Some culverts are only large enough for a trickling stream to pass through, and others are large enough for multiple vehicles. Why are there large culverts? We have the answer.
1. Flood Resilience
One might think that creating culverts large enough for people and vehicles to pass through could be dangerous, but the opposite is true. Its size is for the public’s safety. Historic data can show how much flooding could occur within the area, and a culvert of the right size can safely divert that floodwater toward a natural body of water rather than letting it destroy roads, other property, and potentially lives.
2. Transportation and Nature Preservation
A culvert’s size can also help preserve what needs to flow beneath it, whether it is traffic or wildlife. An intersecting road might be at two entirely different elevations, given the topography; one road might cross directly beneath the other, while both remain at ground level. Similarly, a stream that carries wildlife like fish, frogs, and other wildlife may need a culvert wide enough to allow all usual traffic to continue as usual when a road needs to go over it.
3. Structural Support
Culverts have the structural ability to support heavy loads, whether they are underground or overground. A culvert may have to be a particular size in order to carry heavy traffic loads safely every day. The culvert’s size may also be a matter of common sense, preserving the elevation of the existing road on either side of it.
The Need for Culverts and Culvert Maintenance
Culverts do a fantastic job of creating safe roadways above and beneath them and preserving communities from flooding. Of course, they can only continue to do their job well if they are in good condition. Jet Blast Inc., which serves Maryland and the surrounding areas, professionally cleans culverts and many other stormwater structures.
Contact Jet Blast Inc. Today!
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