[redcalx]

Yeh gravel shifts significantly once you get pools of water forming. Gravel roads need annual levelling work even for low traffic routes.

[icefox]

But that cost is cheaper than repaving right?

[fineman]

In simple terms of time and money, yes. But in terms of not producing mountains of asphalt, especially.

It's merely hot and dusty work, it doesn't stink at all.

[kjs3]

But wouldn't driving a road grader down the route, even once a year, be cheaper than repaving every couple of years? Just in material cost it should be cheaper, not to mention cheaper equipment (grader v. paver+dump trucks) and staffing. I fully confess, however, that I have no objective numbers.