How long of a driveway is too long?

[Industrial Toys]

I will never, ever understand people that build a custom home within stones throw of the road! I have a thousand feet. Maybe more would have given more pivacy, but many properties are long, not square, so you probably have someone closer from the side anyway.

I don't think I would want to maintain much more then a thousand feet. I often have the option of whether or not I will wait a few days before clearing snow. If I had to do it in a timely fashion, a thousand feet could become too much as well.

 

[oosik]

I have a gravel driveway built on a 30 foot wide easement. Its straight as an arrow from the county road to the SE corner of my property. There is a valley in the driveway and it can be a PITA if we get freezing rain or an unseasonal thaw & refreeze. I had the driveway constructed 30+ years ago and have maintained it all these years. The driveway is one mile long and is the only access to my property.

In all this time there has only been one winter where I HAD to plow the driveway to get out. Otherwise, I can drive out the unplowed driveway, easily, with either of my 4WD vehicles. Our "normal" snow accumulation is 12" or less. I plow the driveway so folks who don't have 4WD or aren't as adept at driving in snow have an easier time when visiting. It normally takes me three hours to plow the yard, driveway & mail box area.

So, I guess, it boils down to how much snow your location will get and how much time you want to spend plowing.

I certainly would not by-pass a beautiful piece of land simply because you have to plow the driveway. But that's just me and my opinion.

 

[pwright]

I find this all this talk of maintaining actual driveways somewhat humorous but then we rarely get snow and when we do it is usually gone within the day.

It's 13 miles of dirt road to our property and then a 1/2 mile of "driveway". The roads out to here are native material that gets bladed with a grader a couple times a year. No gravel other than what naturally occurs in this very rocky terrain. Maintenance on my driveway mostly consists of using the rake to get rid of the smaller boulders that rise up out of the ground and then the box blade to spread out some sand/gravel I bring up out of nearby wash.

But it's all worth it to be miles from my nearest full-time neighbor.

 

[TomSeller]

I am on a 1000' asphalt driveway

 

[LD1]

I find this all this talk of maintaining actual driveways somewhat humorous but then we rarely get snow and when we do it is usually gone within the day.

Up here, its more than just snow. Its frost heaving and wet springs as well.

 

[MGH PA]

Great discussion. A lot to think about and take in.

 

[Chilly807]

I simply can't resist this... I'd say if the driveway extends much past the house and other buildings, it's "too long". If it stops there, it's about the right length


Sean

 

[RobS]

I simply can't resist this... I'd say if the driveway extends much past the house and other buildings, it's "too long". If it stops there, it's about the right length


Sean

Same at the other end. I've known many people who's driveways didn't make it all the way to the street...

 

[JerryK]

 

[Deere Dude]

Same at the other end. I've known many people who's driveways didn't make it all the way to the street...

My son had a house built, a quite fancy one to my standards, and wanted the concrete driveway 150' long and 6" thick and wanted it 16' wide I believe. When the job was done I came over to check the house project and there was a 6' gap at the end of the driveway. There was 6 feet finished from the road, then a 6' gap and then the rest of the driveway. I asked him what was up. He said the contract was for a certain amount of concrete and they ran out so they stopped. Of course the contractor said he would finish the job if he wanted, for a slight fee.