Culverts and Highway Drainage

A culvert is a pipe that carries water from one side of a road, driveway, railway or other obstruction to the other. Culverts will be buried at some depth below the surface, aligned so as to permit passage of water with minimum obstruction to the watercourse. Culverts also provide access to commercial developments, homes, farms or livestock facilities, or under haul roads used for mining or forestry.

Culverts are generally short in length and open at both ends and often must withstand substantial traffic loads. While the installation does not require a large quantity of pipe, the installed drainage structure is extremely important to the overall of the road/drainage interface.