Hey all.

The street I live on was paved last spring. They did a nice job and added a curb on both sides of the road to keep the road water on the road where it belongs. My yard, however, is washboard flat and before the re-paving and curb was just above the road grade. Now, it is slightly below the grade of the road. The problem I am having is, the drainage from my neighbors property and downspout pipe overflow is basically flooding my driveway and front yard. I guess it has always done this in the past, but without the curb, the water just flowed out to the street... now it is trapped in my yard. Now, I know my neighbor needs to do something about that pipe, and I will work on that from another angle. I do realize that water will still run off his property onto mine. I need to know if it might be a good idea to cut a couple of 1" notches on the asphalt curb to allow the water to drain out. Besides a complete re-grade of my yard (which I can't afford) I can't seem to find any other drainage options. As far as cutting the curb, I was thinking of using a grinder and a cutting wheel (I think this might be more precise as apposed to a gas powered cutter) and cutting the curb at maybe a 45 degree angle, about an inch wide, cut down to the level of my drive and road. What do you guys think about this? Do you think there will be any adverse damage to the curb due to cutting the notch? I plan to seal the curb after I cut the notches. I'm just not sure what else to do about this drainage. I'd appreciate any advice and suggestions anybody might have for me. I have attached pictures to the thread to help in answering.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9df11b3127ccec6697419cfe500000040O08AcOWrNwzbsw e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9df11b3127ccec669f5258f0100000040O08AcOWrNwzbsw e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9df11b3127ccec6682883ef1d00000040O08AcOWrNwzbsw e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9df11b3127ccec66867a92eb800000040O08AcOWrNwzbsw e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

I don't know where you live but the engineers royally screwed up. The road should have be scarfired/ Milling machine down inches before new top put on to maintain the runoff from the yards. I'm in the business and excavate and grade. What's going to happen when a real rain comes along?
They are turning the road into New Orleans, road sides being the dike/curb trapping water.

If it were me I would get ALL of the neighbors and go to the Township and scream loud!! Hire a neighbored engineer to get a report of the problem and submit that to the township.

Think of the big rains that will come and it looks to me the house beside you is in trouble too.

You say you don't have the money to regrade. The real problem is you don't have a place to regrade for proper slope. The yards themselves were close to on grade to begin with.

The house next to yours by the blue can looks like it has some slope from the street back but it should have like yours sloped to street except the street monkey designers were whacked to allow that .

This problem will never go away and it will always be a problem and hurts the value of the house. Basic slope is a concrete is 1/4 min. Dirt grades should be no less than 1/2" per foot.

Before I start cutting I would do the above so this doesn't swing back on you cutting the township street. Technically they own the right of way from center of street to what ever it is form there to in your yard.

Township first the later cut AWAY which again will be a band aid .


Signed 21 Boat

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Hi, JJCH!

It does look like you have a mess, there!

The first thing that I would suggest doing is seeing if you're neighbors drainage pipe is installed and placed where it needs to be, according to the city code where you live.

If it meets the standard of the code, then I would suggest taking up the issue with the city and see if they would do something about the curb being so high. Perhaps they made an error? It's possible...

What I wouldn't suggest doing is to go cutting into the curb without permission from the people from whom you would need to get permission from in order to do that.

Excellent images, by the way!

Thanks!

Hi, 21boat!

Just so you know, your answer wasn't there when I began writing my post. So, I didn't see your answer first.

Thanks!

No problem Clough All advice is good here, and Ive seen excellent advice from you on other posts! It all fits here. The drainage pipe is also a good idea
But he's going to need a BIG pipe and it looks like there is no swail in the middle of the road.
The curb on side was stupid on the township part!
This curb application is common at the grass edges but not in front of driveways and certainly not without a swail in the middle of street. Next time the need to re pave that have to mill it down so why not this time it doesn't make sense either way the money is spent equally at the end means.

This is the old cave man approach and this post is why it doesn't work in the driveways are low at the aprons. Its all wrong on the go I feel bad for JJCH

Signed 21 Boat

If I Helped To Answer Your Question Please Rate My Answer

Thanks, 21boat!

Yeah, building curbs in front of driveways where the curbs are higher than the ends of the driveways is stupid!

I have no idea what a swail is, and would appreciate it if you would explain some about that, if you would, please?

Thanks!

A swale can be in dirt, concrete, asphalt, stone driveways etc It's a depression in the material to direct water away from other areas. To grade between two houses we put in a swale and then it drains out and directs the runoff. A swale can also be called a drainage easement or a swaled drainage area to a large dished/ pond like/ Swaled out area and its now a water retention pond. In the trades we use the word swale to indicate that the water in that area will be directed. On slight road going up a hill and slightly banked we will put in a swale part ways to wards that bottom hill to redirect some of the water runoff back to the slightly higher side to help split the runoff on the sides of the road more equally as opposed to pipes under the road. This is done on very slight grades slanting up hill. When it rains heavy you LL see it better. The old roads were crowned in the middle and that is not done as much. Flatter roads and slight swails to use the road for cross overs of water runoff.
Swale (swl)
n.
1. A low tract of land, especially when moist or marshy.
2. A long, narrow, usually shallow trough between ridges on a beach, running parallel to the coastline.
3. A shallow trough like depression that carries water mainly during rainstorms or snow melts.

Signed 21 Boat

If I Helped To Answer Your Question Please Rate My Answer

21,

Thanks for replying... Yes I agree that they screwed the pooch when the did this job. Some neighbors were barking that they didn't cut enough off the grade of the road before they poured the new asphalt. I've tried to rally the troops here like you suggested last summer when water pooling was bad, but unfortunately, I am the only person affected by this so nobody will sceam with me. I have called the township and they said they would come this spring and notch the curb for me, they also said they could grind it out for me where the driveway is, but I think that would be unsightly and make a huge mess... thoughts?

But yes, my yard is wash board flat. Not really any grade to it at all and my backyard is not much better. It's a dream for mowing and I have a beautiful lawn (these pics were taking in dec. 2008 believe it or not, around Christmas time), but it leaves a lot to be desired for drainage. I think I could potentially raise the grade 2-3" at the front foundation and slope towards the front but I dont know if that would be high enough at the 1/2" grade you suggested... even if I could afford it... thoughts?

Also, if you look at this new picture below, the picture that shows my neighbors drain pipe, you might be able to see that it is that stupid clay pipe. This pipe serves 2 purposes, it drains water from the back yard where our property lines meet (he installed this years before I moved here with the old owner of the house) and his downspouts run into it. The pipe is crushed behind the telephone pole from something and a little water leaks out there, but not much. There is still a significant amount of evacuation from the end of the pipe and it comes right into my driveway. My neighbor insists his pipe isn't the problem, the curb is, and I agree about the curb, however the pipe is not allowed to be terminated on the property line allowing water to drain into another persons property. This is the law, so he is illegal. He doesn't want to fix the pipe. I love the guy (he's 85, very friendly and I bought the house from him), but I may have to legally force him to fix it and I am working on that with the code enforcement officer who will come out and inspect in early spring.

Also, his pipe is waaaaaaay to small to be serving drain tile and downspout purposes...


Anyway, thank for your insight into this... Here is that pic...
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9df10b3127ccec66adb19767a00000040O08AcOWrNwzbsw e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

Hi, JJCH!

It does look like you have a mess, there!

The first thing that I would suggest doing is seeing if you're neighbors drainage pipe is installed and placed where it needs to be, according to the city code where you live.

If it meets the standard of the code, then I would suggest taking up the issue with the city and see if they would do something about the curb being so high. Perhaps they made an error? It's possible...

What I wouldn't suggest doing is to go cutting into the curb without permission from the people from whom you would need to get permission from in order to do that.

Excellent images, by the way!

Thanks!

Hey buddy... yes when it rains it pours doesn't it? He will have to fix his drain pipe and the zoning officer will take care of that by sending him a letter he said. That will be the first major thing in taking care of this; however, water will still run from his property (it sits higher than mine).

The reason I suggest cutting the curb myself, is the neighbor across the street from me (blue house) used to work for the township and per his words "You will not be happy if they cut the curb for you, they do lousy work". Not very re-assuring... He said I could cut it myself and even John Bates, zoning officer said I could as well, that's why I suggested it. I guess we'll see what happens...

I don't know where you live but the engineers royally screwed up.

I live in Hopewell Twp, Beaver County, PA (Aliquippa address and zipcode) 15001.