Question
Every year during breakup we have to deal with the mud pool that our driveway becomes.  I would love to build up a nice driveway with washed gravel but need to know what I should be layering underneath for drainage.  Also I have heard there is a plastic that can be put down, can you tell me more about this. I am going to frame the driveway with railroad ties, should the center be built up higher than the sides to help drainage as well. I live in Alaska so we do have heavy snow loads that melt off rapidly in the spring

Answer
Hello Heather - My sister is also anticipating Spring breakup (She is in Wasilla)

There are Pros and Cons of Crushed Gravel Driveways: cost, reduction in frost heaves in cold climates (like yours), less repair & less maintenance. Unfortunately, crushed gravel driveways make snow-removal is more difficult, ruts can form relatively quickly, marring the appearance, and jarring the driver, and they are relatively dirty.  Oh,well.

A 揇riveway fabric?or 揻ilter fabric?is a geotextile that separates the good gravel from the 揵ad? soft wet clay under-layer, and prevent the gravel from bing pushed into that wet soil.

The non-woven fabric must have sufficient strength so it does not rip or tear and can support the overlying material (your gravel driveway).  The fabric also acts as a filter to prevent the clay from passing through the fabric and moving into the gravel

Here are two fabric sources (there are many others ?talk to a local contractor):
http://www.tenaxus.com/applications/landscape/prod_fabric_driveway.html
http://www.typarlandscape.com/ls_drivewayfabric.html

Finally, here is a good discussion of how to build a proper gravel driveway:
http://www.silive.com/homegarden/homeimprovement/index.ssf/2007/11/properly_desi...

The RR ties may allow you to not have to regrade as much, but just dumping fabric down and another load of rock isn't going to be a long-term fix.  If it was my driveway, I'd take the money for the ties and invest it in re-grading.

Hope it helps ~M