Driveway issues the town caused... (Cars bottoming out)

[chris_1001]

So the town is redoing my road. They lowered the street it seems and increased the width of the sidewalk which shortened my driveway AND increased the angle.

Three other neighbors are having the same issue that "normal" cars are all but bottoming out. I measured the angle and the steepest part of mine is 14-15 Degrees (25% Grade). Trying to talk with the Town but I/we are not getting any solutions as of yet.

Has anyone ever dealt with a similar issue? If so what happened? Any thoughts on this?

I'm using this as sort of a fact finding post. So I don't want to post too much publicly at the moment, but some of you know where this is and I don't want to $hit Post the town or what.

Thanks in advance!

 

[rscalzo]

Remember that a college educated engineer designed it.....

 

[Soundwave]

I had my road worked on for an extended period. I at one point had to drive through my backyard and come out of my neighbors driveway on the side street. One time i couldn't and had to just drop off the curb onto my dugout street. The cop watched and just cringed as I just crushed my rocker panels. At one point they left a bunch of rubble as the "ramp" to get into my driveway. My freshly painted front end went right into the rubble and scratched it. I immediately called the city who directed me to the construction company. Initial estimate was like $1800. Ended up being close to $6000 because of broken brackets and things underneath and new rocker panels etc. No dispute whatsoever.

 

[Roadglide]

So the town is redoing my road. They lowered the street it seems and increased the width of the sidewalk which shortened my driveway AND increased the angle.

Three other neighbors are having the same issue that "normal" cars are all but bottoming out. I measured the angle and the steepest part of mine is 14-15 Degrees (25% Grade). Trying to talk with the Town but I/we are not getting any solutions as of yet.

Has anyone ever dealt with a similar issue? If so what happened? Any thoughts on this?

I'm using this as sort of a fact finding post. So I don't want to post too much publicly at the moment, but some of you know where this is and I don't want to $hit Post the town or what.

Thanks in advance!

Really depends on the town. The town I work for gives into the residents always. The town I live in not so much. When I had my driveway redone a few years ago I wanted the transition lower due to bottoming out. The paver asked me if my neighbors were ok. I said yes why? He said he would drop it down but it was already too low and wasn't supposed to. He didn't want any complaints because it was technically not my property as I was paving all the way to the street. There is also a rule of thumb that I think exists that depending on the width of the road the town owns so far past the curb. So what you think is your driveway might actually not be (dont hold me to that though.) Anyways the key to dealing with towns is to slowly climb the ladder with emails and phone calls (Always have documentation of your conversations) Be a pest if you have to and take it the distance if it is that important to you. Remember they are counting on you to go away.

 

[dragonballzz]

Really depends on the town. The town I work for gives into the residents always. The town I live in not so much. When I had my driveway redone a few years ago I wanted the transition lower due to bottoming out. The paver asked me if my neighbors were ok. I said yes why? He said he would drop it down but it was already too low and wasn't supposed to. He didn't want any complaints because it was technically not my property as I was paving all the way to the street. There is also a rule of thumb that I think exists that depending on the width of the road the town owns so far past the curb. So what you think is your driveway might actually not be (dont hold me to that though.) Anyways the key to dealing with towns is to slowly climb the ladder with emails and phone calls (Always have documentation of your conversations) Be a pest if you have to and take it the distance if it is that important to you. Remember they are counting on you to go away.

This. Gotta get your property surveyed. I found out the first couple feet of my driveway is not "my" driveway. It's part of the street.

 

[kevin9]

Usual progression in these things is DPW Director -> Town Administrator (or Mayor) -> a Select Board member -> Select Board as a whole.

 

[DitchDigger]

Is the town doing the work or a hired private contractor.
If the reconstruction is being done by a contracted private contractor there should be a resident engineer on the project for inspections and problems that arise and you might ask who the resident Eng. Is and ask to have him stop by to discuss the issues.

 

[73BLow]

Happened to quite a few driveways when the city repaved our road and sidewalks a few years ago (Worcester). They had to come out and fix the driveways for anyone that was having a problem with their cars scraping. Its not an issue for my truck, but I do go slow with the car so the front doesn’t scrape.

The contractor that is replacing my driveway soon said the pitch on the road is ridiculous and the way they had to regrade those driveway entrances made the sidewalks dip down so much that they now don’t meet current ADA compliance.

 

[chris_1001]

Really depends on the town. The town I work for gives into the residents always. The town I live in not so much. When I had my driveway redone a few years ago I wanted the transition lower due to bottoming out. The paver asked me if my neighbors were ok. I said yes why? He said he would drop it down but it was already too low and wasn't supposed to. He didn't want any complaints because it was technically not my property as I was paving all the way to the street. There is also a rule of thumb that I think exists that depending on the width of the road the town owns so far past the curb. So what you think is your driveway might actually not be (dont hold me to that though.) Anyways the key to dealing with towns is to slowly climb the ladder with emails and phone calls (Always have documentation of your conversations) Be a pest if you have to and take it the distance if it is that important to you. Remember they are counting on you to go away.

Yup. Being nice until it’s time not to be nice... But time is running out.

 

[chris_1001]

This. Gotta get your property surveyed. I found out the first couple feet of my driveway is not "my" driveway. It's part of the street.

I have a plot plan someplace. I’ll see if I can find it. There was a sidewalk there before. But no real issues

I’m sure they have leeway where they can take some of mine or own it. But the neighborhood is 80-90 years old.

 

[chris_1001]

Usual progression in these things is DPW Director -> Town Administrator (or Mayor) -> a Select Board member -> Select Board as a whole.

Yup. Came here for some Ammo”

Is the town doing the work or a hired private contractor.
If the reconstruction is being done by a contracted private contractor there should be a resident engineer on the project for inspections and problems that arise and you might ask who the resident Eng. Is and ask to have him stop by to discuss the issues.

Private contractor. I’ve talked with the contractor Forman and the town Engineer. I’m just getting lip service.

The town Engineer is supposed to come by tomorrow. Going to call him in the am so I don’t “miss him” as his visits are never announced.

I have a ton of old and new pictures and have my neighbors involved.

 

[Soundwave]

Wow and this is a private contractor?! I never had to meet with anyone. I just sent those pictures I posted. It all went through the insurance of the construction company.

 

[StevieP]

I had my road worked on for an extended period. I at one point had to drive through my backyard and come out of my neighbors driveway on the side street. One time i couldn't and had to just drop off the curb onto my dugout street. The cop watched and just cringed as I just crushed my rocker panels. At one point they left a bunch of rubble as the "ramp" to get into my driveway. My freshly painted front end went right into the rubble and scratched it. I immediately called the city who directed me to the construction company. Initial estimate was like $1800. Ended up being close to $6000 because of broken brackets and things underneath and new rocker panels etc. No dispute whatsoever.

Why anyone in 2020 doesn't have an SUV or pickup truck, is beyond me.

 

[Soundwave]

I enjoy driving. Driving an SUV or truck brings me no enjoyment. I guess if I could afford a Porsche SUV or something it might.

 

[chris_1001]

Wow and this is a private contractor?! I never had to meet with anyone. I just sent those pictures I posted. It all went through the insurance of the construction company.

I think the town did the plans. So finger pointing. I have a ton of pics and vid to support it all.

Why anyone in 2020 doesn't have an SUV or pickup truck, is beyond me.

I have a 4Runner. But why can’t I have Porsche 911 for the summer? Or even a Toyota Camry?

 

[Soundwave]

Wow that's horrible. Bizarre that they made the sidewalk go through your driveway instead of the other way around.

 

[greencobra]

yep, the city repaved the bottom quarter of my driveway, where the cut went out past the sidewalk. i guess that was city property anyway, but i'll hand it to the city boys, i got one hell of a smooth driveway now.

 

[chris_1001]

Wow that's horrible. Bizarre that they made the sidewalk go through your driveway instead of the other way around.

No. The black on the road was just a berm before the lip of the driveway. They are not done with the top coat on the road.

this is a google earth of it a few years ago.

 

[Picton]

I had the same problem for a couple weeks while they redid our water mains; there was a big temporary pipeline running along the sidewalks, and anything lower than a Tacoma bottomed out on everyone's driveways. I talked to one of the workers the next morning; they came back, dumped enough gravel to ease the slope, and I was all good.

Not sure what my neighbors did.

 

[chris_1001]

I had the same problem for a couple weeks while they redid our water mains; there was a big temporary pipeline running along the sidewalks, and anything lower than a Tacoma bottomed out on everyone's driveways. I talked to one of the workers the next morning; they came back, dumped enough gravel to ease the slope, and I was all good.

Not sure what my neighbors did.

They did all the water sewer stuff last summer here. Think in the next few days to a week they will do the last top coat on the road then walk away... So my time to fix this is running out.

Here are my neighbors today. Normal car and a sports car.

 

[looser38]

Be prepared for something like this:

View: https://youtu.be/B7dfzNHfQmA

I hope I'm wrong, but.....

 

[Woodsloafer]

Make sure you put your complaint in writing (email) with the pictures you have as additional documentation and copy the Mayor, Town Manager, or whoever is at the top of the ladder. Follow up any meetings with an email as well to document what was said/agreed to.

 

[mac1911]

So the town is redoing my road. They lowered the street it seems and increased the width of the sidewalk which shortened my driveway AND increased the angle.

Three other neighbors are having the same issue that "normal" cars are all but bottoming out. I measured the angle and the steepest part of mine is 14-15 Degrees (25% Grade). Trying to talk with the Town but I/we are not getting any solutions as of yet.

Has anyone ever dealt with a similar issue? If so what happened? Any thoughts on this?

I'm using this as sort of a fact finding post. So I don't want to post too much publicly at the moment, but some of you know where this is and I don't want to $hit Post the town or what.

Thanks in advance!

Ugh, went through same BS with my town when they decided to raise the curb. Those short asphalt ones. There first solution was to cut down the curb. Well that caused all the rain water to dump into my drive way vs the drain another 100 ft down the road.
They finally re did the curb and fixed my side of the drive by building it up. A good while.
Funny part is town guy who came out croaked his exhaust bottoming out when he pulled in.

 

[free]

Wow that's horrible. Bizarre that they made the sidewalk go through your driveway instead of the other way around.

At that point of the end of the driveway, it is not his driveway. He does not own that land.

 

[DW357]

Not surprised. Look at this nice job my city did with the sidewalks a number of years ago. Mind you they sloped the sidewalk for my neighbors driveway but couldn’t do this for my front gate (I wasn’t home at the time).


Luckily my welding friend up the street, cut down/shortened my gate then welded it back together so it could open out towards the street.


I’ve since installed a paver walkway so I was able to bring it up to the level of the sidewalk.

 

[ReluctantDecoy]

Happened to quite a few driveways when the city repaved our road and sidewalks a few years ago (Worcester). They had to come out and fix the driveways for anyone that was having a problem with their cars scraping. Its not an issue for my truck, but I do go slow with the car so the front doesn’t scrape.

The contractor that is replacing my driveway soon said the pitch on the road is ridiculous and the way they had to regrade those driveway entrances made the sidewalks dip down so much that they now don’t meet current ADA compliance.

I've seen this leveraged in many ways. One could pressure the town with threats of notifying the local and state ADA boards. They would then have to fix the street to sidewalk transition, which may or may not fix your problem. However, the boards could turn around and say the transition from your driveway to the sidewalk is not in compliance (assuming you don't own right out to the street), at which point they could force you to re-grade your driveway even if you don't have an ADA person living in your house.

So before going atomic on this route, one has to know how much of their driveway is actually their responsibility and how much of that responsibility plays into the transition issue after a street/sidewalk job.

 

[AHM]

Remember that a college educated engineer designed it.....

Keep sewage inside the pipes 100% of the time?
Civil Engineers know that's just crazy talk.

Gotta get your property surveyed. I found out the first couple feet of my driveway is not "my" driveway. It's part of the street.

It may just be that you own the first couple of feet of your driveway,
but the town has a right-of-way from (say) 25'
to either side of the centerline of the road.
Which includes the first couple feet of your driveway.

Which is why you pay attention when you hire someone
to put a stone wall between your lawn and the road
(regardless of sidewalks).

Because if the stone wall is within the right of way,
on a whim the town can order it (re)moved,
or remove it themselves and bill you for it.

this is a google earth of it a few years ago.

Dude, those satellites are getting freaky good.

 

[zboys]

It doesn't matter if it's your land or the towns land, they need to make the transition work

 

[Dennis in MA]

Just think. When they're all done, your neighborhood will look like this:

 

[AHM]

Just think. When they're all done, your neighborhood will look like this:

That is not the sloped driveway I was promised for 2020AD.