Asphalt Ramp Driveway 1

[AAEC]

We have this existing driveway that a has swale and would like to cover the swale with a built up ramp (hump) to re-direct surface water flow (see attached sketch). I have two questions that I am not so sure about. 1. In order to build the ramp, should I remove the existing asphalt top and expose the soil foundation and build it up with basecourse up to my required elevation and cap it with asphalt or should I leave the existing asphalt and cover it with the basecourse and buid it to my required elevation top with ashphalt. 2. I am concern about the ramp location is very close to the public road. As you noticed on the sketch, as soon as a vehicle gets off the public road, the ramp in the driveway immediately is encountered. I have not seen any standard how far should a ramp (hump) be from the road.

 

[ACtrafficengr]

First thought: what's going to happen to the water in the gutter you are filling in?

Second: What are the standards of the agency that owns the public road? You'll need a highway work permit from them.

Third: I suspect many vehicles will bottom out on the profile you show. NYSDOT has a template for a design vehicle for bottoming out. I believe it was based on the early 90's Caprice/Roadmaster wagons. Unless you have lowboy trailers using that driveway, it should be the worst case vehicle for your design. You can find it in section 3.2.10 of their highway design manual:

https://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/engineering/design/dqab/hdm/hdm-repository/chapt_03.pdf.

Fourth: I don't see the need for such an extreme hump. A few inches should suffice.

Fifth: For anything over a few inches, it will be cheaper to remove the existing asphalt and build it up with granular base course, then resurface with asphalt.

"...students of traffic are beginning to realize the false economy of mechanically controlled traffic, and hand work by trained officers will again prevail." - Wm. Phelps Eno, ca. 1928

 

[AAEC]

ACtrafficengr,

Thanks for the wealth of recommendations. I will follow up on the website you mentioned and hope to get an answer from there.