Driveway Aprons 101: What Are They and What Do You Need to Know?
Your town may have a lot to say about that spot between the road and your driveway
Highlights
A driveway apron is the sloped paved area between your driveway and the road.
In some cases, the sidewalk will pass between your driveway and the apron.
Many towns highly regulate the design of driveway aprons and who can install them.
Always check if you need a permit before installing the apron portion of the driveway.
There's no question that your driveway sits right in the center of your property, welcoming your car home every night after work. But what about the sloped entranceway between the road and your driveway? Commonly known as the driveway apron, this often-overlooked driveway installation sits in the middle ground between your lawn and public land. Here's what to keep in mind during installation.
What is a Driveway Apron?
Put simply, the driveway apron is the paved area between the road and either your driveway or the sidewalk. If you live in a city or a busy suburb, the apron likely crosses over an easement—AKA an area for public use such as a sidewalk. When this occurs, the apron is just the trapezoid-shaped area between the sidewalk and the road.
Driveway aprons have a few responsibilities. Not only do they provide an opening in the curb for your car to smoothly enter, but it also indicates to pedestrians and parked cars where to expect traffic. The apron also has a specific slope to also encourage water drainage.
Driveway Apron Common Costs
The cost to install a driveway apron heavily depends on the type of paving material and its size. Small driveway aprons made of concrete or asphalt can cost as little as $1,300 with professional installation. Large driveway apron lines with pavers or stone can reach up to $7,800 on average, though this often includes the cost of rebar reinforcement and additional drainage methods.
Driveway Apron Regulations
Since the driveway apron butts up against both the road and a public easement area, many towns set strict design regulations. You may not have to worry about driveway apron laws in a rural area, but it's always worth checking before making driveway adjustments or calculating the cost to pave your driveway.
Measurements
Always check your town building codes to confirm driveway apron measurements. Here's what to expect.
Width and Length
Driveway aprons typically range between 12 and 24 feet wide and an average of eight to 15 feet long. The width of a driveway apron often matches the width of your driveway and the length depends on the distance between the end of the driveway or sidewalk and the road. In some cases, the opening of the apron can flare an average of 45 degrees out from the top to accommodate turning vehicles.
Thickness
Local laws will likely regulate the thickness of your driveway apron, but the concrete, asphalt, pavers, or aggregate will likely range between four and seven inches thick.
Slope
The town will almost always regulate the grade of the driveway, particularly because its design encourages stormwater to run into a nearby rain gutter. The minimum slope for both your driveway and driveway apron typically starts at two percent, and the maximum driveway slope shouldn't go over 12 percent. Otherwise, you may need to find additional solutions to adjust your steep driveway.
Materials
Driveway apron materials typically match those of your driveway, though again, your town may regulate what goes here. Concrete, asphalt, and pavers are the most common. In some areas, you can expand your creative driveway apron ideas by including cobblestones, permeable pavers, or natural stone.
Keep in mind that some towns will also require either a permeable surface or layers of permeable aggregate below the paving to encourage drainage.
Repairs and Upkeep
So, who is responsible for your driveway apron? Yet again, it's up to your town. In some areas, driveway aprons beyond a public easement will not be your responsibility at all. You may not need to pay for installation, repairs, or upkeep in bad weather. In other cases, you must take care of the apron but not the sidewalk it crosses.
Design Details
Your local building codes may get as specific to regulate its structure. Some towns require contractors to add rebar throughout the apron to ensure its strength when handling traffic. Other towns will also specify drainage details, leading you to install or replace your culvert.
And lastly, let's not forget cutting the curb itself. If you're installing an apron for the first time, you'll need to apply for a curb cut from the town. The process requires a permit and payment details vary based on where you live.
Driveway Apron Installation
Only highly experienced homeowners should attempt to install a driveway apron themselves—and only if it's legal to do so. In areas with strict driveway apron regulations, you will likely need a permit to start the installation process and may only get the green light if you hire a licensed local driveway paving company.
Even if this isn't the case, working with concrete and asphalt is complicated. And since the driveway apron is on a specific slope, perfecting the process can be a true headache.