Woodlots covering 75 acres (30 ha) or more will require road access to make improvement work economical. The complexity of the road system will increase with the size of the woodlot. The inventory information should be consulted to ensure that all productive parts of the woodlot are accessed.

When locating roads on the ground, they should be as straight as possible for utilitarian reasons. For aesthetic reasons, gentle curves may be desirable even when "perfectly" straight is possible. Perfectly straight roads are rare. Terrain conditions and environmental stipulations dictate that you detour around certain obstacles, such as rock outcrops or boulder areas, wet areas and water courses. All dead end roads should have adequate turn-around areas to enable tractor trailer rigs to turn around easily.

Stream crossing should be avoided as much as possible, but when a stream must be crossed it is essential to construct the crossing in an environmentally friendly way. Culverts and bridges must be properly sized, placed and constructed to minimize erosion and siltation. Proper ditches, take offs and buffer zones increase road life and reduce negative environmental impacts. Be sure to have permits issued from Department of Environment before you begin construction of your stream crossing.

Regular inspection and maintenance is important to maximizing a road's usefulness and life span while minimizing its operating cost.

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