RV Driveway Design HELP NEEDED

[jd956jd956]

Hello - We are soon to build a new home that will include an RV storage metal building. We are currently working on the lot's plot plan and I cannot figure out how wide the driveway should be where it meets the road.

I will have to back into the driveway from the street. Backing will not be difficult, but wondering how much area will be needed to get out of the driveway and onto the roadway without ending up in the ditch.

Here are the details... The street in front of our lot is a one-way road that is 16 feet wide, curb to curb. We plan to make the driveway 14 feet wide.

Despite making some measurements in our current neighborhood, I cannot figure out with certainty how wide our driveway should be where it meets the road. Nor can I seem to figure out how far back away from the street it should be wider than 14 feet. Anyone with any experience that can help? THANK YOU! Jeff

2016 Essex with passive steer tag

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by jd956jd956

Hello - We are soon to build a new home that will include an RV storage metal building. We are currently working on the lot's plot plan and I cannot figure out how wide the driveway should be where it meets the road.

I will have to back into the driveway from the street. Backing will not be difficult, but wondering how much area will be needed to get out of the driveway and onto the roadway without ending up in the ditch.

Here are the details... The street in front of our lot is a one-way road that is 16 feet wide, curb to curb. We plan to make the driveway 14 feet wide.

Despite making some measurements in our current neighborhood, I cannot figure out with certainty how wide our driveway should be where it meets the road. Nor can I seem to figure out how far back away from the street it should be wider than 14 feet. Anyone with any experience that can help? THANK YOU! Jeff

2016 Essex with passive steer tag

Locate a Big Empty school Parking lot - get some Chalk - mark the road - test the angles and the width - add a couple feet to each side for that night in the rain or after a big tailgate.

Only way to know is to do it.

Hope this helps,

[Soppy]

I think 14 feet will be a little narrow . If your street was wider , you could get away with 14 ft. I would go to a quiet parking lot and mark a street and driveway out on the pavement . Then try to back your RV into the driveway . It would sure give you an idea of the room you need.

[vsheetz]

Design and build not for the coach you have now. Design and build for the coach you it another future owner may have.

[TQ60]

First check with building department as a 16 foot wide street is a red flag....


Older area maybe or new development.

When backing you will need clear space for all 4 corners and cars parked on street can be issue.

Confirm with building department requirements for your "approach" as there may be many limitations that you may not be aware of.

HOA could be issue too.

Be sure to get full drawings approved with any and all agencies...

For layout others indicate chalk on parking lot and another option is using scale drawing with cutouts or getting a toy truck then determine it's scale and draw a scale model of your project as well as adding a paper cutout to make the toy have similar overhangs.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by vsheetz

Design and build not for the coach you have now. Design and build for the coach you it another future owner may have.

Yep, designed my space for a 26' TT, then got a 17' type B, then a 25' type C, then a 35' type A gas rig, then a 38' DP, then a 40' DP and now a 45' DP. I did have to move the fence once and redo the gate though.

[TexasTom]

I have a narrow street and gates at my driveway, so for us getting in and out of the driveway is a matter of inches for clearance.

Our gate is 18' wide. The distance from the raised portion of our driveway (over the drain) to the other side of the road is roughly 25'. We can just barely make it in the gate, and our coach "bumper to bumper" is just under 39'. And I have to drive on the grass once I am inside the gates because we can't make the turn very tight. I have measured how much I would have to increase the width of my gates to accommodate a 45' coach, and I estimate an extra 5' is enough.

So based on my experience if you have a 16' street and a 45' coach, then don't be surprised if you need up to a 30'wide driveway which can taper down to a "normal" width 25' from the street.

And if I was going down your path, I too would set up some chalk lines in a parking lot to be sure.

[JFXG]

Just off the top of my head I'd be in the same ballpark as TexasTom. But consider this: I assume that even after you sketch out a design you're not actually going to construct this driveway and apron yourself. There will likely be a road/driveway contractor involved, who has probably done this once or twice. Ask him.

[RonnieTucker]

My driveway is 18' wide at the road and tapers down to 15'. The road is very narrow as well 19'. I have a 38' motorhome and pull a 24' enclosed trailer. I have no problems at all getting out or backing into my drive. I do drop the trailer on the street. then I will back the MH in and get my pick up to back the trailer in. It is tight without getting on the grass or in the ditch on ether side . Hope this helps.

Ronnie Tucker

[riverofcode]

Attached is a diagram of my driveway that I did. I can tell you it takes 2 people to get my 42' non-tag class A into the driveway. (1 spotter) That included putting the front end completely out in my lawn in front of the house to make the swing to keep the rear tires out of the ditch. My wheelbase is 260 inches. I am planning on adding about 5-6' of opening to the road to make it easier to swing in. There are trees along the far side of the road I also need to not clip with the tail end. I park it nosed towards the shed along the top side of the diagram.

To the OP .... make it wider, you'll be glad you did.

Scott

[u04601]

Originally Posted by jd956jd956

Hello - We are soon to build a new home that will include an RV storage metal building. We are currently working on the lot's plot plan and I cannot figure out how wide the driveway should be where it meets the road.

I will have to back into the driveway from the street. Backing will not be difficult, but wondering how much area will be needed to get out of the driveway and onto the roadway without ending up in the ditch.

Here are the details... The street in front of our lot is a one-way road that is 16 feet wide, curb to curb. We plan to make the driveway 14 feet wide.

Despite making some measurements in our current neighborhood, I cannot figure out with certainty how wide our driveway should be where it meets the road. Nor can I seem to figure out how far back away from the street it should be wider than 14 feet. Anyone with any experience that can help? THANK YOU! Jeff

2016 Essex with passive steer tag

You don't say how big the lot is or how much frontage on the road you have. I assume that if the lot is big enough to have a seperate metal building big enough to house the RV that it is a good size lot. Most drive entrances are perpendicular to the street, but you could make yours a bit curved to better match the turning radius of your coach. Again I am assuming, that a 45 foot coach has a turning radius of at least 60' and maybe as much as 75'.

[jd956jd956]

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts and experience! Learned from an rv friend who is not online and that lives in the same area that the county will allow a culvert 40' using two 20' segments. So will now go and take some pavement measurements as suggested to see exactly how wide I need it to be at the 16' wide street and the driveway. My friend strongly suggested I go the full 40 feet at the street, and taper back, so I can pull in forward in the rain or late at night. Thank you again!

[iamblum]

I park my 36 foot in this little area. It's not tough after a little practice. Road is about 18 feet wide. Ps the old neighbor is the 1 who backed into the phone box 15 years ago

[KCFDCapt]

The Uniform Fire Code requires a road to be 20 feet wide and 15 feet in vertical clearance. Your jurisdiction may have adopted something else. Red flag warning on 16 foot wide road. Check with your local authorities. You may want to have a wide driveway to give you the needed turn radius to safely get in and out.