drainage?

[jrseaberg]

I recently had a new driveway poured: 4" thick, reinforcing wire, saw cut, with a 6" curb along one side. Drive is fairly level, with a drop of about 5" in 20'.

The new curb is half the height of the old curb that was removed. My problem is that the neighbor's yard is about 2' higher than my driveway (18" higher than the concrete curb), and I'm trying to prevent run-off/dirt from coming down onto my drive.

I have some lime-stone curbing pieces, roughly 24" X 24" X 6". My thought is to bury these about 12" deep, up against the new curb, which will leave about 12" above the curb height. I will then "back fill" with the native dirt, "grading" down to just below the top of the limestone curb.

Question: Do I have to be concerned about drainage behind/below the limestone curbing? Recommendations? Will this work at all? (I live in Central Illiinois, the ground does freeze and heave.)

Thanks
Jim S.

[Bob NH]

The solution to your problem depends on the terrain and the location of the property line.

Putting up a dam along the edge of your driveway will not solve the problem unless you have a place to divert the water. If the water doesn't have a place to go, it will eventually soak in under your new driveway. That is not a good place to dispose of the water.

If you can't direct the water along the driveway to the point where it will disappear downhill, you will have to find a good way to get it safely across your driveway.

If you have enough room, you should be able to put in a swale (shallow ditch with gentle slopes, that you can negotioate with a lawn mower) that will carry the water away.

If you don't have some slope near the driveway, your solution might require an underground pipe to a low place.

Someone with a surveying instrument, or perhaps a rotating laser level, could figure out what you need to do to make the water go away.

[jrseaberg]

I used a string level, and found that in 19 feet, I have a 10" drop. I can bury a 4" slotted drain pipe (black plastic, flexible) behind the new limestone curbing, and then it will discharge out of a "hill" that is about 1' high, across the sidewalk (next to the driveway), down the driveway approach, then into the curb area on the street. I have the neighbor's permission to add dirt or grade as needed. (The property line is 2.5' away from my driveway.)

Is there a way to "terminate" the 4" line where it exits the soil that will not collapse or erode away? Form up a concrete discharge of some type? Ideas?

Thanks!
Jim S.