Gravel Drive width?

[deezler]

Looks good, though it appears your ditch on the high side drains to... itself. Unless I'm seeing the angle of the ground wrong, it'll fill up and cross the road in heavy rain events. Washing out your drive in the process. Culverts are a pain, but you might really want one there.

Nice sexy curves on that drive though! I like it.

 

[USAFpj]

Deezler, great observation. If you blow up the first pic, you may be able to see the 20' pipe in the lowest part of the roadbed. Throughout this build, the house will go on a slope, so I have been very concerned with proper drainage. A small swale will have to be built behind the home due to the slope of the site, but I'll be watching the drainage like a hawk until the land graders leave. I have full faith in this Husband/Wife team that they know exactly what they're doing, though:thumbsup:

 

[deezler]

Awesome!

I can't really talk anyway, as I simply ran the ditch on the high side of my own driveway (gentle slope on sandy soil though) to a mini retention pond that I dug. It only overflows in the 2-3" plus super soaks though, so whatever.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

My humble driveway is maybe 9' or 10' wide. It has meandering turns through the trees that are pleasing to the eye. There are only two places where a 12 yard dump truck couldn't tip the dump up all 24' without hitting overhead branches. The corners are gentle enough that a 65' long semi tractor trailer combination can get through. Mid way I have a turn around big enough for trucks and equipment trailers. Where the tinkerage will be built, semis will need to do three point turns.

The trail or road between where the tinkerage and house will be 150 yards long and possible only to cars, service trucks, and lighter trailers because I'm not cutting the trees up as high and the corners meandering through the trees are closer together.

I hope it will be pretty.

 

[JerryK]

I hope it will be pretty.

I'm sure you will make it so...!!!! [ life is good ]

 

[tractorshopper]

The Crepe Myrtles are beautiful, but I would not plant them along the road edge. I think they will try to send runners and new sprouts up everywhere including into the driveway. They can get out of control.

I'd simply go with grass or something that can be easily cut back a few times a year. In the future, the trees on the edges will try sending their branches out toward and over the driveway and will require periodic maintenance/pruning.

 

[dave1949]

When making a three-point turn around for semis, it helps if it is on the driver's side. The driver can see the back of the trailer on the driver's side. Passenger side is often blind for van trailers.

It could be a simple flared tee off the driveway that can be backed into after driving past it. You could make double use of the tee by putting a building at the end of it or whatever. The building could have a dock if there is enough use to warrant that.

 

[Garandman]

We took out the rocks and trees on the right, and put down gravel just to past the bend where there is a bridge. Maybe 500 feet. We used 125 tons...

 

[USAFpj]

Garandman, you're site looks almost exactly like mine, except my circular drive has an island of (4) Loblolly pines, and (1) White Pine. I wasn't excited about the amount of soil and trees that were initially removed, but after driving my truck in and around the site, quickly realized that elbow room is good!

 

[ovrszd]

I have become a fan of limestone screenings. They are cheap (you basicaly pay for the trucking).
They can be worked nicely, look great and if you snow blow them onto your lawn, they can be cleaned up fairly easily. Or just worked in.

My biggest pain and regret is that for the most part, my driveway does not have a proper base. It's built mostly on organic matter!

And your limestone screenings are not helping that problem.