I'd map the road at the intervals necessary to describe it and not leave too much on one side, similar to mapping a creek and not cutting the bank on.
As far as monumenting it, I'd drive 60d nails with washers in the center of it if it is oilsand or asphalt, iron rods recessed if it's dirt or gravel and the main angle points. It will make most surveyors use your angle points.
I'd also set reference rods on the occupied margins in case road work is done and the road points get lost.
As far as describing it, something like this.
THENCE with the West line of Joe's tract, the East line of Smith's tract, and the center of a dirt and grass road as follows:
B&D to a 1/2" steel rod w/cap set
B&D to a 1/2" steel rod w/cap set
B&D to a 1/2" steel rod w/cap set for the Northwest corner of Joe's tract in the East line of Smith's Tract
THENCE East, with the North line of Joe's tract, at 35.00 feet pass a 1/2" steel rod w/cap set online for reference on the East occupied margin of said road, continuing in all, some distance to some object.
Easy as pie.
How do you describe a dirt road>Curious discussion
So, a dirt road as a center line, well here that's pretty common. We will typically set a monument on the property line offset from the centerline, 10-12'...
But, simply because we bound the lot the centerline/property line will migrate as the road migrates. We can only monument what "is" and not what will be. We cannot prevent that property line movement.
How do you describe a dirt road>Curious discussion
If I have fences or walls I use them, when I don't I set offsets from the centerline at 1/2 the roadway width, usually 2 rods on our ancient town roads.
How do you describe a dirt road>Curious discussion
So:
Is the old dirt road there by virtue of a prescriptive easement, but the underlying fee ownership goes to the adjoining property owners? Does the property move with the movement of the road even though that movement is man-made?
What about a county crew coming in and purposely changing the location of the road under the asupices of road improvement? (Let's say they straighten out a curve but don't pay for the new location of the landowner they are affecting.) That wouldn't be a slow and imperceptible movement of the road. Where is the property line then, where the road was before the road crew moved it? What about the prescriptive easement? Are they now going outside their easement, and encroaching onto one of the owners property?
I would think that at least having math on the location of the road would be a good 'snapshot in time' in case changes are made and the properties are adversely affected.
Regardless, I agree, it is a "curious discussion".
Tom
How do you describe a dirt road>Curious discussion
My guess would be the correct position of the boundary is the center line at the time the easement came into being, or the time the road was laid out. However, the present center line is likely to be the best evidence of the original center line, until a surveyor monuments where it was on a particular date.