NH Mud Season

From the Union Leader:
"No getting around it, mud is a seasonal mess"

Many southern and central New Hampshire communities are dealing with one of the worst mud seasons in years, according to at least one road agent. Travel on affected dirt roads has become difficult, and in some cases, impossible. Residents along some muddy roads are frustrated and concerned about their safety. This week in Tilton and Meredith, drivers found themselves stuck in thick mud, but found that some towing companies wouldn't come to the rescue because of fear their tow trucks would get stuck. In Gilmanton, five school buses have had to be pulled from deep road mud in the past week. Tuesday night, an injured girl was unreachable by ambulance on Griffin Road because the road to her house could not support rescue vehicles, according to Bill Smith Jr., a neighbor of the girl's family. One bus carrying Gilmanton students was hopelessly stuck in the mud for almost four hours on Loon Pond Road Thursday morning, as the students sat and waited for help. “It's a nightmare,” said resident Lisa Crossman, whose daughter was on the bus. “It's very upsetting that the roads are so terrible, and it's put our children's safety in jeopardy.” Towns with dirt roads in southern New Hampshire have been dealing with mud season for a couple of weeks. Temple Road Agent Timothy Fiske said he's had to close some roads because of mud season, which seems to be already coming to an end in southern New Hampshire, he said. Towns in central New Hampshire are likely seeing the worst of mud season now. Many northern towns report no mud problems yet. Fiske said this year's muddy mud season is due to the up-and-down temperatures the state has experienced this winter. Unusually warm temperatures and sunshine have melted sections of frozen dirt while shaded sections have remained solid. As temperatures warmed recently, frozen sections have begun melting, mixing with the warmer dirt, he said.

^ The title is wrong. There is a way to get around Mud Season. It's called not using dirt roads throughout most of the state. When dirt gets wet (from melted snow or rain) it causes mud. I never heard of Mud Season until I moved here 3 years ago - I guess because all the other places I lived in were smart enough to pave the roads. All the roads around my house are dirt (and now mud) and just driving down to my mailbox everyday is a challenge. I have more problems driving in a little mud than I do in 1-2 feet of snow. When I finally get to the paved roads I never have any problems driving. There is no reason in the 2nd decade of the 21st Century that NH should have a huge problem several times a year during Mud Season. All they need to do is start paving the roads - it will cost a little more in the beginning, but in the end would be better for all. ^

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20120315/NEWS11/703169994