In rough grading, the equipment operators are usually guided by grade stakes that are set along the center line by the transit-tape survey party at center-line stations. The center-line stations (stakes) are usually set at intervals of 100 ft or more on straight-line stretches and intervals of 50 ft or less on roads with horizontal and vertical curvatures. On a small-radius, street-corner curve, a center-line hub or stake might be set at the center of the circle of which the curve is a part. This is done so the construction crew may outline the curve by swinging the radius with the tape. Reference stakes or hubs are also set on one or both sides of the center line to permit reestablishment of the center line at any time.

Each center-line stake is marked with the vertical depth of cut or fill required to bring the surface to grade elevation. The surveyor must indicate the station markings and the cut and fill directions on stakes. Lets look at the stakes on the center line of the road-building job. The starting point is the first station in the survey;

this station is numbered 0 + 00. The next station is normally 100 ft farther and is marked 1 + 00; the third station is another 100 ft farther and is marked 2 + 00; and so on. On sharp curves on rough ground, the stakes may be closer together. (See fig. 14-32.) Generally, the station markings face the starting point. The mark ~, which is also on the side facing the starting point, is used to indicate that the stake is a center-line stake.

A cut is designated by the letter C, and the fill is indicated by the letter F. Numerals follow the letters to indicate the amount that the ground should be cut or filled. The symbol C 13 indicates that the existing ground should be cut 1.5 ft, as measured from the reference mark. During rough grading, the cut and fill are generally carried just up to the nearest half foot; exact grade elevations are later marked with hubs (blue tops). The mark Y is called a crowfoot. The apex of the V indicates the direction of the required change in elevation; so a cut is indicated by Y , and a fill is indicated by fi . In some cases, surveyors mark the grade stake only with a negative or a positive number and the crowfoot, indicating the cut or fill.

Figure 14-33 shows a cut stake that also happens to be a center-line marker. Note that station mark is written on the front of the stake and the construction information on the back. On grade stakes other than the center-line stakes, the construction information should be written on the front and the station marked on the back. The stake shown in figure 14-34 indicates that fill operations are to be performed. The letter 24 indicate that 2 ft of fill are required to bring the construction up to grade.

Some stakes indicate that no cutting or filling is required. Figure 14-35, for example, shows a grade stake that is on the proper grade and also is a center-line stake. The word GRADE (or may not be indicated; some surveyors prefer to use a crowfoot mark on all grade stakes. If this

grade stake is not a center-line stake, the GRD mark will be written on the front of the stake.