Repairing tire tracks/potholes in lawn next to driveway

[robinb]

We live in the city on a very small lot. My driveway was replaced a few years ago when the city replaced our street, but the contractors made the driveway entrance more narrow than it was before. Our street is also very narrow and there is a utility pole at the end of my driveway, so it's a huge PITB. I usually just turn into the driveway and everything's fine, but my car is in the shop (I hit a deer) and the rental car is wider than my regular car. There are two pot holes or ditches on the lawn on the side of the driveway where the tires on the left side of the car have gone instead of the driveway for the past week. They were barely there and suddenly they were 6-8" deep after we had some rain! They are in neighbor's lawn (yes, our homes are *that* close). I would like to repair the damage, but I don't think that just throwing dirt in them and seeding in the spring will do it. Should I fill the holes with gravel and then dirt in case I miss the driveway again?

 

[NikiM20]

We used sand first, then dirt. Worked for us.

 

[dennis99ss]

I guess first see if your neighbor would be ok with it, but,

you could fill in with a base, sand, gravel, sand, and then compact, and then install some pavers, stones, etc., to make a aesthetically pleasing area which would 1. fill in the hole, and 2. prevent it from happening again.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Do not use rock of any kind. You will never get grass to grow. I would be pissed if I was your neighbor if you did that.

What has happened is that the soil is now compacted, which is not good for growing grass either.

How to fix is to dig it up, add soil, and seed.

 

[robinb]

Just to make it clear, the word "lawn" is generous. My neighbor, like many in the neighborhood, doesn't have a lot of grass and a lot of it is the "crab" variety. I am more concerned about filling the pot hole than making sure the result is perfectly lush next year.

 

[Mizzoufan]

Just to make it clear, the word "lawn" is generous. My neighbor, like many in the neighborhood, doesn't have a lot of grass and a lot of it is the "crab" variety. I am more concerned about filling the pot hole than making sure the result is perfectly lush next year.

What does the neighbor say about doing all of this? Since it's part of his yard

 

[robinb]

What does the neighbor say about doing all of this? Since it's part of his yard

I've lived next to him for almost 25 years. He probably doesn't even mind the potholes. I don't need to ask him if I should do the right thing and repair the damage.

 

[minnie mum]

Since it is so late in the year, I'd just fill the ruts up with soil before the snow falls. But in the spring, once everything has melted and dried, you should dig it all up, remove the old 'sod' and then refill the area with topsoil, level and compact it, and then seed or sod it.

 

[robinb]

Thanks all! I did put some soil in the hole but the pothole came right back. *sigh* I'm thinking of digging some of it up and putting some sand in the bottom of the hole and then the soil back on top tomorrow before things freeze up.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Thanks all! I did put some soil in the hole but the pothole came right back. *sigh* I'm thinking of digging some of it up and putting some sand in the bottom of the hole and then the soil back on top tomorrow before things freeze up.

That would be OK. Just don't use rocks.

Make sure you get it packed under the driveway. You do not want your driveway to crack.

 

[scrapquitler]

We live in the city on a very small lot. My driveway was replaced a few years ago when the city replaced our street, but the contractors made the driveway entrance more narrow than it was before. Our street is also very narrow and there is a utility pole at the end of my driveway, so it's a huge PITB. I usually just turn into the driveway and everything's fine, but my car is in the shop (I hit a deer) and the rental car is wider than my regular car. There are two pot holes or ditches on the lawn on the side of the driveway where the tires on the left side of the car have gone instead of the driveway for the past week. They were barely there and suddenly they were 6-8" deep after we had some rain! They are in neighbor's lawn (yes, our homes are *that* close). I would like to repair the damage, but I don't think that just throwing dirt in them and seeding in the spring will do it. Should I fill the holes with gravel and then dirt in case I miss the driveway again?

When my brother in law drove his work truck over my neighbors lawn and made huge ruts in their yard, he repaired it by putting soil, then sod.

 

[xlxo]

This might be an opportunity to widen the driveway. Two ideas to research.... concrete pavers.
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...d=0ahUKEwiI0s6Nm-zJAhWCEj4KHSbGANwQMwgnKAswCw

Structured earth.
https://www.google.com/search?q=grasspave&tbm=isch