Community Corner

Asphalt Mounds Seen Across From the Ford House Explained

The Edsel & Eleanor Ford House is reusing ground asphalt for an environmentally-friendly road project that will help with traffic during events in the open field across from the house.

Drivers on Jefferson may have seen mounds late last week in the open field across from the Ford House.

The mounds were piles of asphalt ground up from the old roadways within the estate that were being repaved. Some of the ground asphalt was temporarily located in the land across from the estate.  

Kathleen Mullins, president and CEO of the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House, stated in a letter to neighbors that the ground asphalt will be reused "to resolve ongoing issues we have when this land is used for parking during our events.  Heavier use and wet conditions is causing deterioration of the lawn, particularly at points of entrance and exit.  So we are trying an experiment by utilizing the debris product to create three drivable areas. "

The paths will be visible for a short term, but will create a pervious surface that water can infiltrate, and can be seeded and create roadways that looks like the field, but will have a harder surface for traffic during events, the letter stated. 

These pathways could be removed at a later date, the letter added.

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Additional questions raised around the ground include:

  • Trees larger than 8 inches in diameter across from the estate have been tagged, identified and GPS mapped as part of a preservation project. A surveyor will  map the tree locations and the tapes will be removed. The information will be stored and used for tree care planning, establishing botanical significance and for perpetuation of the plant collection.

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"We hope that you share our excitement with the projects that are occurring at Ford House," Mullins wrote in the letter. 


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