Street being paved, no access to garage!

[CoogarXR]

Patience is a virtue, or so I've been told...

It all started last year, the street in front of my garage (I live on a corner) heaved up (frost heave). The road department came out and cut a small hole only to find that the road had no foundation! So they tore out the heaved area and put down gravel while they took bids to fix the road.

Well, a little more than a year has passed, and the crew showed up a couple days ago and started tearing out the street. I mean, they tore it completely out, curbs and all. They probably went nearly 2ft down! Needless to say, I can't get into my driveway. I live on the corner, so I can drive through my yard and do a 1000-point maneuver to get into the garage if I need to, but still... I asked one of the workers how long the street should take, and he said "we have another street to do too, so we're going to do them at the same time. I'd say about 3 weeks"...

When I got home from work, one of the guys stopped me and said that my driveway was poured over the street, and to make it connect to the new street properly, they will have to remove and repour the end section. That's actually kinda awesome, because the end of my driveway was getting pretty cracked with age. Plus they have clipped it with their bulldozers and made it worse (and they spray painted markings on it, which initially pissed me off until I heard their plans).

So basically I just wanted to whine that I am locked out of my driveway for 3 weeks, but at least I am getting a free partial driveway out of the deal!

 

[Kaizen]

if you have an alternative place to park I would leave it alone. but if not i'd think they have to put temporary gravel or something to get you into your driveway. hell I just watched something similar around here and they put in real stone walls along with repaving driveways due to level change.

 

[shoot summ]

Had that happen a couple of years ago, they didn't take the curbs, but took the street, base, and installed a new base. I was fine with my truck, wife's car sits too low, we had to impose on neighbors around the corner to let us use their driveway. We returned the favor when they did their part of the street.

 

[ChaseDE]

Something similar happening to my Uncle. He restores old classic cars for fun and runs a tow truck. He also fixes regular cars and has a really nice spot on the road and sells cars in his front yard (1 at a time usually) on consignment.

His house set about 30 yards back from the road which is a 2 lane road. Before, he could pull out of his driveway and go left or right as there is no median. Now they are "improving" the road and the exit to the highway down the road and are putting a median and jersey barriers in so he will only be able to go right out of his driveway now. To go left he will have to go right, go about a quarter mile up the road, u-turn, come back down.

Road work *****, especially in Delaware.

Old Cadillac he gave the once over and sold, kick myself for not buying it.


His classic, super freaking nice.

 

[CoogarXR]

I have a little spot off the side street where I park my camper. I just moved the camper to the yard, so I have that spot to use. Just kinda ***** because it's just dirt. Hopefully it will stay dry for a few weeks so it doesn't turn to mud.

I'm looking forward to seeing what this street will look like when it's finished. It's been messed up for so long, I've become accustomed to it, lol.

 

[Jeffksf]

Now is the time if you need any concrete work on your property ask the crew if they are interested in any sidework, should work out pretty cheap for you.

 

[pattenp]

As reading your post I was waiting for the other shoe to drop where they tell you that you have to pay for the driveway end section.

 

[Know Wosad]

Reason # 5789467 to drive a 4 wd and not a car.

 

[johninct]

That is BS!!! Had the same thing happen to a rental house we have. Told the tenant that he would loose total access for a day so he should leave now. Knowing that was BS, I called up the Conn DOT . The contractor was forced to provide temporary access. The reason they don't want to comply is because it is more work for them.

 

[Thumper68]

That is BS!!! Had the same thing happen to a rental house we have. Told the tenant that he would loose total access for a day so he should leave now. Knowing that was BS, I called up the Conn DOT . The contractor was forced to provide temporary access. The reason they don't want to comply is because it is more work for them.

More work, more time, more money, Guess who pays the bills....


I have been through this a few times, and in most cases at the end of the day they have put in a gravel ramp so the drive can be used, One time I told them not to bother since I had a 2nd access that was not effected.

Only one that was an issue was a water main break right at the end of my drive, I moved my work van to the street but didn't think about needing my personal truck, it was stuck in the drive for 4 days by the 30' long 12' wide water filled ditch.

 

[Falcon67]

Be glad somebody gives a rip about fixing your street in the first place. I pay my taxes and it takes a few trips to the council meetings and bitching at the city manager for a year just to get a pothole filled.

 

[Z2V]

You might be able to negotiate a whole driveway out of them if you can live without temporary access. They are not out the expense of labor and material for temp access it might not be much more work for them to give you whole driveway. Never hurts to ask

 

[mz44]

They should give you access to your driveway via a stone ramp or something. We do lots of jobs like that for the DOT. Most we are required to provide access, sometimes we don't do it until someone says something or complains. When they pour the curb, there is no alternative but blocking your access. Ask one of the bosses on the job or call the road master in the town and ask if they could maintain access to the garage.

 

[brownbagg]

sound like somebody needs a cookie

 

[1jjpop]

Think of fire truck getting access if your shop would burn ........

 

[CoogarXR]

Well, they were still working today. I noticed we have some rain in the forecast, so that motivated me to go talk to them. I asked if they had any extra gravel, if they could dump some in my extra parking spot in the back. They were super nice, and did it right away! I've been wanting to get gravel in that spot for years, for the sake of my camper, but it was never a priority. At least now I can check that off my list! And it was free, plus they spread it with their bobcat, so I don't have to spread it myself like I would have if I ordered a load on my own. Things are going good so far!