Culvert

[Gary Fowler]

I found a brand on internet....sent local rep a question as to where to buy. Turns out my local co-op carries it! He went on to say that the county requires a 15"pipe, not 12". (he lives in same county)

So it's looking like we might have a 15". I'm calling the co-op on Monday. Nice thing is, the co-op is actually closer to me than the "local" HD or other large store!

I wouldn't think the county has any jurisdiction on your private property unless that road is a public road so put in the size in relation to the road height and coverage needed. A 12" culvert will handle a lot of run off water even if it backs up a bit during a heavy downpour, as long as it doesn't wash out the road, it will eventually drain. I have a private road that crosses my pond overflow. I needed to put in a culvert but the road was not much higher than the land if any. I put in a 10" culvert, raised the roadway with crushed rock to cover the culvert. At high flow rates some water will go over the road when the culvert backs up, but as soon as the rain slows, the culvert catches up and takes the flow OK.
County restrictions is for your driveway to connect to the public road otherwise you can use what ever you want.

 

[aczlan]

I wouldn't think the county has any jurisdiction on your private property unless that road is a public road so put in the size in relation to the road height and coverage needed

As I understand it, this culvert is at the road, so it is being installed in the right of way and as such, it falls under the jurisdiction of the agency who maintains that road.

Aaron Z

 

[Richard]

I have no qualms in getting a 15" if that is what is recommended. That said we are the ones who maintain this driveway. In fact, it's on private property.

 

[paulsharvey]

As I understand it, this culvert is at the road, so it is being installed in the right of way and as such, it falls under the jurisdiction of the agency who maintains that road.

Aaron Z

What he said here. If it's in the counties right of way, it's their property and they get to choose what you can or can't do with Their property. Sorry if I sound harsh, just get sick of arguing with people who think they own land that they dont.

Anyways, the ditch at the road would be County property, and it it backs up, they have to deal with it, which is why they regulate it.

 

[Streetcar]

Cover over the pipe is more important for long life. Go with 12" on private property unless you can get 4" cover over the 15" pipe. As Gary stated he does not have problems from pounding during rain storms.
The 15" for driveways is mostly due to problems with debris clogging pipes and liability for water on road

 

[Coyote machine]

What he said here. If it's in the counties right of way, it's their property and they get to choose what you can or can't do with Their property. Sorry if I sound harsh, just get sick of arguing with people who think they own land that they dont.

Anyways, the ditch at the road would be County property, and it it backs up, they have to deal with it, which is why they regulate it.

Wrong, (sorry):confused3:. The property owner does own the property, and pays taxes on it, BUT the town/county, whoever maintains it, has a ROW - usually 25' from the centerline, that they have jurisdiction over. Go with a 15" double walled HDPE culvert, set it right and obviously* (no up or downstream blockages), *DUH!

I have been through this on three different occasions with the town, (and state of VT). My original 12" metal single wall culvert was 52' long with 2 collars at 20' sections, joined with a 12' section. It was placed when the drive was done, and 12" diameter was an illegal install, ( 15" was the requirement) AND it was at an obtuse angle to the driveways flow, so the water was supposed to make a right turn, go uphill, and then flow to the 3' culvert on the other end of my drive, and under the road. It did OK until the close inlet end got frost heaved.

The town eventually installed an 18" diameter HDPE culvert, after the state said they, State of VT could block access to my dirt road if the situation wasn't resolved properly. From the inlet end of my driveway culvert, the town ran it directly onto my across the road neighbor's property. This is where the water ends up anyway, but now the entire mouth of my drive and road don't freeze up into a skating rink until May each year.

Since then the town also had to replace the original 3' diameter metal culvert on the other side of my drive because it washed and failed at the same time from excessive storm runoff.

More recently, this past spring, I used my FEL bucket to scoop out the mouth of a real old road culvert on my next door property, mind you I did not touch the actual roadway crossing culvert, which was 2' in diameter.
The town put out cones and called the state DEC and tied up the whole operation for 6 months or more. The fisheries guy came out and talked to me about what I could and could not do, how I needed to resolve the situation and up to what date I can complete the work. The town sent me a lawyer letter telling me to schedule time with the selectboard at one of their meetings, and I eventually ended up paying a $500 fine to the town for working in the ROW. They wanted $1000, but we worked out the actual cost of their labor and materials to the lesser amount. They ended up ripping out the old completely rotten single wall galvanized 2' culvert and replaced it with a double walled 3' diameter culvert, specked out by the state guys, to comply with the newest 100 year storm requirements.

So the moral is do it right, do it to specs, proper diameter, don't dump water into the public roadway, etc., and regardless of the exact jurisdictions in your area, DON'T mess with the ROW drainage/culverts, and NEVER dig unless digsafe has marked the area; unless you want to pay fines and possibly worse if you dig up any utility. Once it's marked by digsafe you're good to go- but not until then, if anywhere near the ROW.:thumbsup:

 

[paulsharvey]

Wrong, (sorry):confused3:. The property owner does own the property, and pays taxes on it, BUT the town/county, whoever maintains it, has a ROW - usually 25' from the centerline, that they have jurisdiction over. Go with a 15" double walled HDPE culvert, set it right and obviously* (no up or downstream blockages), *DUH!
.

In Florida, the county, city, or state own the ROW. It varies from as small as 33 ft for some dirt roads, to 66 ft or 80 ft standard for two lane, and we'll over 200 ft for some limited access roadways. But, the home owner almost never owns to the edge of the asphalt. Now, I do understand that the North East is diffrent, but in this area, the ROW is owned by the city/county/state; and what you are describing is an easement. An easement is owned by the property owner, but someone (generally a utility) has a specific set of rights with in area. I'm not arguing, because where you live, you might own to the asphalt; bottom line, you own what your deed says.

 

[Streetcar]

Wrong, (sorry):confused3:. The property owner does own the property, and pays taxes on it, BUT the town/county, whoever maintains it, has a ROW - usually 25' from the centerline, that they have jurisdiction over. Go with a 15" double walled HDPE culvert, set it right and obviously* (no up or downstream blockages), *DUH!

I have been through this on three different occasions with the town, (and state of VT). My original 12" metal single wall culvert was 52' long with 2 collars at 20' sections, joined with a 12' section. It was placed when the drive was done, and 12" diameter was an illegal install, ( 15" was the requirement) AND it was at an obtuse angle to the driveways flow, so the water was supposed to make a right turn, go uphill, and then flow to the 3' culvert on the other end of my drive, and under the road. It did OK until the close inlet end got frost heaved.

The town eventually installed an 18" diameter HDPE culvert, after the state said they, State of VT could block access to my dirt road if the situation wasn't resolved properly. From the inlet end of my driveway culvert, the town ran it directly onto my across the road neighbor's property. This is where the water ends up anyway, but now the entire mouth of my drive and road don't freeze up into a skating rink until May each year.

Since then the town also had to replace the original 3' diameter metal culvert on the other side of my drive because it washed and failed at the same time from excessive storm runoff.

More recently, this past spring, I used my FEL bucket to scoop out the mouth of a real old road culvert on my next door property, mind you I did not touch the actual roadway crossing culvert, which was 2' in diameter.
The town put out cones and called the state DEC and tied up the whole operation for 6 months or more. The fisheries guy came out and talked to me about what I could and could not do, how I needed to resolve the situation and up to what date I can complete the work. The town sent me a lawyer letter telling me to schedule time with the selectboard at one of their meetings, and I eventually ended up paying a $500 fine to the town for working in the ROW. They wanted $1000, but we worked out the actual cost of their labor and materials to the lesser amount. They ended up ripping out the old completely rotten single wall galvanized 2' culvert and replaced it with a double walled 3' diameter culvert, specked out by the state guys, to comply with the newest 100 year storm requirements.

So the moral is do it right, do it to specs, proper diameter, don't dump water into the public roadway, etc., and regardless of the exact jurisdictions in your area, DON'T mess with the ROW drainage/culverts, and NEVER dig unless digsafe has marked the area; unless you want to pay fines and possibly worse if you dig up any utility. Once it's marked by digsafe you're good to go- but not until then, if anywhere near the ROW.:thumbsup:

In this case the op does not have a culvert in the right of way.

Roadways vary by state, in some areas right of way are owned by adjacent property but regulated by the government. In some areas the government owns the right of way

 

[Tough Luck]

I found a brand on internet....sent local rep a question as to where to buy. Turns out my local co-op carries it! He went on to say that the county requires a 15"pipe, not 12". (he lives in same county)

So it's looking like we might have a 15". I'm calling the co-op on Monday. Nice thing is, the co-op is actually closer to me than the "local" HD or other large store!

Which Co-op in Knoxville? I live in Knoxville and have been needing to install a small culvert. Wasn't sure where to get one either...your post was timely. We seem to get washouts every time it rains lately.

 

[Coyote machine]

In Florida, the county, city, or state own the ROW. It varies from as small as 33 ft for some dirt roads, to 66 ft or 80 ft standard for two lane, and we'll over 200 ft for some limited access roadways. But, the home owner almost never owns to the edge of the asphalt. Now, I do understand that the North East is diffrent, but in this area, the ROW is owned by the city/county/state; and what you are describing is an easement. An easement is owned by the property owner, but someone (generally a utility) has a specific set of rights with in area. I'm not arguing, because where you live, you might own to the asphalt; bottom line, you own what your deed says.

Sorry, no asphalt; as stated, dirt road. Secondary class 5 road, and no easement; ROW, yes; (I've been shown the state regulations by the town officials).
25' from center of the roadway onto my property. Town controls all driveway culverts, by permit only. And they don't have to be at or in the ROW, just at or in my driveway, leading water toward the town maintained roadway. YMMV.