Concrete removal in Des Moines, WA
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This page is about Des Moines, Washington, in King County. If you are replacing a driveway here, the city's Street Development Standards decide what the street end of it must be made of, and that is easy to get wrong.
Where your street has a curb, the approach across the curb and sidewalk must be Portland cement concrete. Where it does not, the city wants asphalt between the road edge and the right-of-way line. Either way, the work needs a City of Des Moines right-of-way permit. When you are ready, send us the details. We pass your job to one local concrete removal company, and it costs you nothing.
Local facts for Des Moines
- Permit for any approach work
- Des Moines requires a Right-of-Way Permit to construct, repair, alter, maintain or use any approach from abutting property to a public road, and a copy must be kept on site. Source: City of Des Moines: Street Development Standards, Ch. 4 Access, Intersections and Driveways (February 2023)
- Concrete across curbs, asphalt elsewhere
- Where an approach crosses vertical curb, gutter and sidewalk it must be Portland cement concrete from curb to back of sidewalk, with existing curb removed to the nearest construction joint. Without curb and gutter, the approach is asphalt (at least 3 in. over 2 in. crushed surfacing) to the right-of-way line. Source: City of Des Moines: Street Development Standards, section 4.3.7 (February 2023)
- Residential driveway limits
- Residential driveway approaches in Des Moines must be 12 to 24 feet wide, and residential parcels are allowed one access point unless the Public Works Director approves otherwise. Source: City of Des Moines: Street Development Standards, sections 4.3.3 and 4.3.5 (February 2023)
- County transfer station serving Des Moines
- King County's Bow Lake Recycling and Transfer Station in Tukwila serves residents and businesses largely from the Des Moines, Burien, Federal Way, SeaTac and Tukwila areas. Source: King County: Bow Lake Recycling and Transfer Station fact sheet
The permit rule covers repairs, not just new driveways
The city's standards are broad: no one may "construct, repair, alter, maintain or use any approach from any abutting property to any public road" in Des Moines without a Right-of-Way Permit. A copy has to be available at the site for the life of the permit.
So breaking out and replacing an existing apron counts, even when nothing about the layout changes. Any change of use, or anything that increases traffic through an existing approach, needs a new permit.
Curb streets and ditch streets are built differently
On a street with vertical curb, gutter and sidewalk, the approach "must extend from the curb to back of sidewalk and be of Portland cement concrete." Where a new opening is cut through an existing concrete curb, the curb or curb and gutter must be removed "to the nearest construction joint" and rebuilt to the approved plans. Expect the curb work to stop at a joint, not at the edge of your driveway.
On a street without curb and gutter, the driveway is paved with asphalt between the edge of the road and the right-of-way line. The standard is at least 3 inches of compacted asphalt over 2 inches of crushed surfacing top course, paved to the right-of-way line or 3 feet past the end of the radius, whichever is greater. Where a driveway crosses an open ditch, the culvert must be at least 12 inches in diameter.
Width and number of driveways
If the replacement changes the layout, check these limits from the same standards before you settle on a design:
- Residential approach width: 12 feet minimum, 24 feet maximum
- One access point per residential parcel unless the Public Works Director approves more
- At least 10 feet between neighboring residential access points
- No part of an approach within 3 feet of a fire hydrant, utility pole, mailbox cluster or similar fixture
Questions about concrete removal in Des Moines
Do I need a permit to repair my driveway approach in Des Moines, WA?
Yes. The city's standards require a Right-of-Way Permit to construct, repair, alter or maintain any approach from your property to a public road.
Does my Des Moines driveway apron have to be concrete?
If it crosses a vertical curb, gutter and sidewalk, yes: Portland cement concrete from the curb to the back of the sidewalk. On streets without curb and gutter, the standard is asphalt to the right-of-way line.
How wide can a residential driveway be in Des Moines?
Between 12 and 24 feet at the approach, under the city's Street Development Standards.
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