(a) Width: All driveways shall have a minimum width of ten feet (10') at the right-of-way line. Curb cut lengths shall be kept to the minimum needed for good design. Residential driveways shall not exceed twenty-four feet (24') wide at the tangent to the curb radii (at the throat), and commercial/industrial shall not exceed thirty-five feet (35') wide unless called for by design approved by the Public Works Director. If the throat width of a driveway exceeds sixteen feet (16'), a longitudinal control joint is required.
(b) Thickness and Length: Driveway sidewalks shall be replaced to a recommended thickness of seven inches (7") typical and six inches (6") minimum across driveway approaches and extend to the nearest joint, a minimum of twelve inches (12") on either side of the driveway approach. Other sidewalk locations within right-of-way shall have a minimum thickness of five inches (5") or as otherwise required by City Code. Thickness for driveways serving commercial or industrial areas shall be designed for the proposed vehicle use. The driveway standard requires the driveway sidewalk to be a separately constructed strip from the rest of the approach. Driveway sidewalk for large commercial or industrial driveways may be constructed monolithically with the driveway, but they shall be designed to have the appearance of a thru sidewalk that meets Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) requirements via grooving or other means.
(c) Materials: Driveways shall be constructed of Portland Cement Concrete conforming to the IDOT mix design criteria in the current edition of the "Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction." Only IDOT approved mix designs from approved ready mix plants are allowed. The minimum required compressive strength is 3500 psi in fourteen (14) days. Maximum slump of all concrete work is four inches (4"). Air entrainment shall be between five percent and eight percent (5.00% - 8.00%).
(d) Subgrade: The subgrade for all sidewalks and driveways shall be free of all vegetation, debris, and loose material and it shall be tamped or rolled until thoroughly compacted. Dry subgrade shall be moistened with water just before the concrete is placed. Overly wet or organic materials shall be removed and replaced with granular material (sand or gravel) as conditions warrant. Sidewalk and driveway subgrade shall be compacted sufficiently to prevent future settlement under the loading of a fully loaded building materials delivery truck.
(e) Conduits: In areas of the City where streetlights exist, driveway conduits may be required. In such instances, a conduit of not less than two inches (2") inside diameter, capped on each end, and of material of sufficient strength (schedule 40 PVC is acceptable) for the particular location and purpose and any necessary hand holes shall be placed in or under all driveways for the purpose of placing, connecting, or maintaining cables for electrical service to the City street lighting system. Where the proposed driveway is located contiguous to an existing driveway, the conduit shall be extended under or through the existing driveway.
(f) Slopes: All sidewalks shall be constructed to meet current PROWAG standards. All sidewalks shall have a straight cross slope from the property side towards the street side of approximately one percent (1.00%) (1/8 inch per foot), and a maximum of two percent (2.00%) (1/4 inch per foot) cross slope is required for a five foot (5') sidewalk. Sidewalks and ramps shall be constructed having a longitudinal slope no greater than eight percent (8.00%) (1 inch per foot).
(g) Grade: All walks shall be reasonably level, which in some instances may require filling or cutting of earth. The top of the walk shall, in general, conform to the contour of ground after the aforementioned leveling procedure has been completed.
(h) Joints: All walks shall be provided with 3/4 inch (3/4") expansion joints placed where the sidewalk abuts the curb. All structures located within sidewalk pavement shall be surrounded with a minimum 3/4 inch thick expansion joint. A 3/4 inch expansion joint material shall be placed where the driveway approach meets the gutter and where the driveway approach meets the sidewalk.
(i) Forms: Side forms for sidewalks and driveways shall be of lumber of not less than 2 inch (2") nominal thickness or of steel of equal rigidity. They shall be held securely in place by stakes or braces with the top edges true to line of grade. Depth of forms shall be the same as the required concrete thickness, with a minimum five inches (5") of depth.
(j) Inspections: The forms and grading necessary to complete the construction of the walk or driveway shall be inspected and approved by a representative of the City before the concrete is placed. In the absence of the contractor, the City Inspector may leave tape (yellow, if approved, and red, if not approved) on a conspicuous location. The City reserves the right to require pavement cores to verify pavement thickness or removal and replacement at the owner's expense if a sidewalk or approach is poured without approval.
(k) Finishing: All sidewalks and driveway approaches shall be placed, finished, and cured as required by the Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction in Illinois. After the concrete is placed, it shall be struck off and finished to a true and even surface with floats and trowels. After the water sheen has disappeared, the surface shall be given a final finish by brushing, at right angles to the sidewalk or driveway, with a soft-bristled push broom. Care shall be taken to not use too much water during the brushing/finishing process. Curing and protection from hot and cold weather shall be as required by the IDOT Standard Specification.
(l) Panel Size and Scoring: The surface of all sidewalks shall be divided into panels by grooved joints constructed at right angles with the sidewalk. These grooves shall be a minimum of 1 inch deep, between 1/8 inch and 1/4 inch wide. The grooves shall be edged with an edging tool having a 1/4 inch radius. Sawed grooves shall not be allowed. The groove pattern on replacement slabs should match the existing pattern. The standard spacing between grooved joints in areas where sidewalk did not previously exist shall be 5 feet. No slab shall be longer than 6 feet nor less than 4 feet.
(m) Finished Pavement Saw Cuts: Unless otherwise specified, all saw cut joints in curb, gutter, and pavement shall be cut at a depth of 1/4 thickness to allow for aggregate interlock (for example, 6 in. thick = cut of 1-1/2 in.).
(n) Backfill: After the concrete has set up and cured, 24 hours after placement, the forms may be removed and the spaces along the edges of the walk shall be backfilled immediately thereafter to the required elevation (1/2 in. below the top of walk) and the surface shall be neatly graded.
(o) Curing: The wetted burlap method, layer of visquine, or properly applied curing compound, will be used for curing and winter protection shall be provided (for concrete less than 72 hours old, when temperature is 32° F or lower) as required by Illinois Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction.
(p) Design: Design for all driveway approaches shall be approved by the Public Works Director prior to issuance of a permit.
(q) Closing Drive Approaches: Existing drive approaches and curb cuts not being utilized for new construction must be removed. In areas where a barrier curb is the standard at the street, the curb and gutter at the approach must be removed and a new barrier curb or similar style and dimensions must be constructed.
(Ord. 2022-35. Passed 8-1-22.)