Ribbon Driveway: Strip Widths, Spacing, Materials and Whether Asphalt Works

A ribbon driveway (also called a strip, two-track or Hollywood driveway) uses two parallel strips of hard surface for the tires, with grass, gravel or groundcover between them. It uses less paving material, sheds less runoff and has a charming, old-fashioned look. The key to making one work is sizing: each strip is commonly about 2 to 3 feet wide, spaced so the centers line up with your vehicles' wheel track, often around 5 feet center to center for cars. Concrete and pavers are the usual strip materials. Asphalt strips are possible but less common, because narrow asphalt ribbons are hard to compact and their unsupported edges crumble.

Rainfall runoff calculator →

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Less material to buy and place than a full-width driveway
• More green space and less hard surface, which can help with runoff limits and lot coverage rules
• Vintage, cottage or farmhouse style
• Rain soaks into the center strip instead of all running off

Cons

• Drivers can miss the strips, especially guests, delivery vans and wider trucks
• Snow removal is awkward; plows and snow blowers catch the grass strip
• Walking on the driveway is less comfortable, especially with strollers or carts
• The center needs mowing, trimming or weeding
• Curves, turnarounds and parking areas are harder to design

Sizing the Strips

Measure your vehicles first. Track width is the distance between the centers of the left and right tires on the same axle. Many passenger cars fall somewhere around 5 feet, while full-size pickups and SUVs are wider. Design the strips so every vehicle you own, and the ones that visit, lands on pavement.

Dimension	Common range	Why
Strip width	24 to 36 inches	Wider strips forgive steering and fit more vehicle types
Strip center to center	About 5 to 6 feet	Matches typical car and truck tracks
Center gap	About 2.5 to 4 feet	Room for grass or gravel
Overall width	About 7 to 9 feet	Close to a narrow single-lane driveway

Example: with strips 30 inches wide and centers 62 inches apart, the gap between strips is 32 inches and the outer edges are 92 inches apart, just under 8 feet. Our guide to driveway width covers clearance for doors and walkways beside the driveway.

Strip Materials

Concrete

The classic choice. Poured strips are formed like narrow sidewalks, usually with control joints every few feet to manage cracking. A broom finish adds traction. Reinforcement and base follow normal driveway practice for your area.

Pavers or brick

Very attractive, easy to repair unit by unit, and edges stay neat with proper edge restraints.

Asphalt

You can pave asphalt strips, but it's tricky. Rollers are wider than many strips, so crews compact with plate compactors or small rollers. Both edges of each strip lack side support, so they tend to crumble unless you add solid edging. If you want the ribbon look with asphalt, consider a full-width asphalt driveway with a decorative center band of pavers or stone set flush, which gives the look without the weak edges.

Gravel in edging

Two strips of compacted gravel held by edging are the cheapest option, though loose stone tends to spill into the center.

What Goes in the Middle

• Grass: classic look; grows poorly where oil drips and shade from parked cars hit it. A grass paver grid in the center helps turf survive occasional tires.
• Gravel or stone: low maintenance, drains well, holds up to stray tires.
• Low groundcovers: creeping thyme and similar plants suit light-use drives, but check the height against your car's ground clearance.

Keep the center level with or slightly below the strips so bumpers and oil pans clear it.

Base and Drainage

Each strip needs the same base you'd use for a full driveway: remove topsoil, compact the subgrade and place compacted crushed stone. The center still needs to drain; if it's lower than the strips and holds water, the base under the strips softens. A ribbon driveway reduces runoff compared with a full slab. To estimate the difference, compare the paved area of each design in our rainfall runoff calculator.

Edging and Transitions

Where the strips meet the street, a garage or a full-width parking pad, transition to full width so turning tires don't drop off the strips. Solid steel landscape edging along gravel strips keeps stone contained. Many ribbon drives use a solid apron at the street, both for durability and because some towns require it for the curb cut.

Ribbon Driveways and Permeable Options

If your goal is mainly to reduce runoff, compare a ribbon driveway with fully permeable systems like porous asphalt or open-joint pavers. Our permeable driveway guide covers those options. A ribbon drive is simpler and cheaper; a permeable driveway gives you a full-width surface.

Maintenance

Trim grass along the strip edges, keep the center level, and fill any washouts. For concrete strips, seal cracks and joints as needed. In snow country, mark the strips with stakes and ask your plow driver to lift the blade slightly. A string trimmer with an edging mode keeps grass from creeping over the strips.

Bottom Line on Ribbon Driveways

A ribbon driveway can save material, cut runoff and add character, as long as the strips are wide enough and spaced for every vehicle that uses them. Concrete and pavers make the most durable strips; asphalt ribbons are possible but prone to edge damage. Plan transitions at the street and garage, keep the center draining, and accept a little extra care with mowing and snow.