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Bill Hooker

  • Close-up photo of a dirt road with visible washboard ridges — small, evenly spaced ripples running across the surface. The sandy, tan road is speckled with small rocks and gravel. A blue banner across the lower portion reads, “What causes washboard roads?” A circular “The Big Why” logo appears at left, and a Montana Public Radio logo is in the upper right corner.
    Montana News
    What causes washboard roads?
    Victoria Traxler, Austin Amestoy
    "Harmonic rippling pattern" might seem like a description of the soothing sounds from a white-noise generator lulling you to sleep. That's close. But in this case, the noise machine is your car and the rippling pattern is the washboard road you're bouncing over. One listener wants to know what causes these washboard patterns.