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MARCH 17, 2011
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Get Other Tips for Planning & Installing a Driveway 

New concrete driveway 

Other important issues to consider before installing your new concrete driveway include accommodating  in-ground utilities, such as main water lines, electrical lines, and sprinkler pipes, and allowing for enough walk-around room. See these design tips from landscape professional
Scott Cohen:

Driveway Walk-About Space

Planning for Utilities & Approaches


FIND A LOCAL CONCRETE DRIVEWAY CONTRACTOR
Tips for Sizing Your Concrete Driveway

Circular stamped driveway
Greetings!

If you are ready to install a new concrete driveway, the first decision you'll need to make, before choosing a color or decorative finish, is how large to make it. What is the best length and width? Do you want a single or two-lane driveway? Do you want to include a turnaround area to allow you to back up a car? Or how about a circular driveway, so you don't have to back up at all? Following are some guidelines for the appropriate dimensions for all these driveway types. Before finalizing your design, however, be sure to check the driveway construction requirements of your local building code.

 

Jim Peterson,
The Concrete Network

DRIVEWAY SIZING STANDARDS

 

Driveway length
Generally, plan to allow 18 to 20 feet of length for each car or truck. Allow 22 to 24 feet for full-size pickups and oversized mini-vans. Also add some walk-around room at the end of the driveway (about 3  to 5 feet).
Two-lane driveway
Two-lane driveway


Driveway width
Plan for a minimum of 10 feet of width for each vehicle. If space allows, use wider spacing for easier walk-around space between vehicles, the driveway and the sidewalk, and the vehicles and the garage or house.

Single-lane driveway
This should be a minimum length of 20 feet and width of 10 feet. If possible, a 12-foot width is better to permit more room for passengers to open car doors step
Single driveway
Single-lane plan
onto the pavement.

Double-lane driveway
Make a minimum of 20x20 feet; 20x24 feet is preferred.


Circular driveway
Follow the same general length and width guidelines, depending on the number of lanes.

Turnaround area
Circular driveway plan
Circular plan
Longer driveways often require a turnaround area to  back up a car into so you can then drive forward drive instead of in reverse all the way down the drive. Leave enough space for the car to clear the garage before turning, typically 10 feet wide by 12 to 14 feet deep.
Driveway with turn-around
Driveway with turnaround
Or: