Overview

STAKES for the highway construction are usually set at 100 or 50 feet intervals on tangents at uniform grade. Stakes are set at 50 or 25 feet intervals on horizontal or vertical curves. Stakes for pavement must be set on an offset line (usually 2 ft) from the edge of pavement; thus, stakes will not be destroyed by construction equipment.

GRADE STAKES are driven at points having the same ground and grade elevation. Fig. 7-A, three sections occur in passing from fill to cut, and a grade stake is set for each section.

Figure 7-A

SLOPE STAKES are driven at the intersection of the ground and a planned slope. The cut C or fill F is marked on the slope stake. Actually, there is no cut or fill at the location of the slope stake. Fig. 7-A, the C or F given is the vertical distance from slope stake elevation to grade. The slope is expressed as a ratio of horizontal to vertical distance. Thus, 2:1 slope means a 1 ft vertical change for each 2 ft horizontal distance. The stake marked C 2:1 @ 34.2 means that the stake is 34.2 feet from the center line and 2:1 feet above grade. The stake marked F 3:4 @ 36.8 means that the stake is 36.8 feet from the center line and 3.4 feet below grade (finish elevation).

GRADE POINT: a fill (or cut) section meets the natural ground.

BLUE TOPS: the tops of the stakes are...