Last Updated on October 20, 2026 by Umar Farooq
Strip paver driveways (also called ribbon, two-track or Hollywood driveways) are two paved wheel tracks with grass or gravel between them. For pavers, build each strip at least 24 inches wide and set the strips about 5 feet apart, center to center. Put each strip on the same compacted base a full driveway would get, and restrain both edges of both strips. They suit short, straight driveways, cost less in pavers and base than a full-width drive, and shed far less runoff. They're a poor fit for long, curved or shared driveways, where tires wander off the strips. For the full picture, see grass between pavers. The paver driveway width guide covers this in more depth. The details are in our piece on driveway pavers rutting.
The idea dates to the 1920s, and it started as a tidier version of two wheel ruts. The modern version just needs the ruts to be properly engineered.
Strip width and spacing that match real wheels
I read the City of Burlington, Vermont's stormwater handout on ribbon driveways. It gives the clearest numbers I found: strips at least two feet wide, located five feet on center. That leaves about 36 inches of planting or gravel between two 24-inch strips.
Before you commit, check those numbers against your own vehicles:
- Measure your widest vehicle's track, center of tire to center of tire, and put the strip centers there.
- Widen the strips if you drive a mix of cars and trucks with different track widths, or if you often back in and out. Thirty inches gives more room for error than 24.
- Keep it straight. Burlington notes that ribbon designs suit shorter, straight driveways and get impractical where driveways are long or curved. On a curve, the front and rear wheels follow different lines, and one of them ends up in the grass.
Where the drive meets the street and the garage, most designs switch to a full-width paved apron. That's where cars turn and where people step out.
Build each strip like a full driveway
This is the opinion that matters most here. A ribbon driveway saves area, not depth. Each strip carries the full wheel load on a narrow band, and it has an unrestrained edge on both sides, so it needs more care per square foot than a solid drive, not less.
- Base. At least 6 inches of compacted crushed stone under each strip on well-drained soil, per ICPI Tech Spec 2 for residential driveways, and 2 to 4 inches more on wet, weak or freezing ground. Run the base past the paver edges.
- Pavers. Driveway-rated concrete pavers at least 2 3/8 inches (60 mm) thick. CMHA's Tech Spec 10 says units with a length-to-thickness ratio of 4:1 or more shouldn't go where vehicles drive, which rules out large patio slabs.
- Pattern. Tech Spec 10 recommends 45° or 90° herringbone for continual vehicle traffic. On a 24-inch strip, frame each side with a soldier course and fit a herringbone or a stable interlocking pattern between. The same guide says cuts exposed to vehicles should be no smaller than a third of a paver, so size the strip to the paver module and avoid slivers.
- Edges. A concrete haunch or a vehicle-rated restraint on both sides of each strip. With four exposed edges and grass pushing against every one, strips without restraint spread and roll within a season or two.
What goes between the strips
The center can be lawn, a low ground cover, or gravel. Each has trade-offs:
| Center fill | Looks | Upkeep | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawn | Softest, most "green" | Mowing a narrow strip | Oil drips, shade under parked cars |
| Low ground cover | Tidy, no mowing | Weeding, replanting after winter | Plow and snowblower damage |
| Gravel | Neat, drains fast | Topping up yearly | Stones thrown onto the strips and the lawn |
Gardenista's ribbon driveway explainer suggests tough, low ground covers such as creeping thyme or ajuga as alternatives to grass. Burlington's handout adds two practical warnings. Move parked cars now and then so one patch of center planting isn't permanently shaded. And expect to top up gravel or repair plantings after each plowing season. It also notes that snowblowers work well on ribbons, which is more than you can say for most plows.
If tires keep missing the strips, the ground beside them compacts and ruts. Burlington suggests small markers to keep drivers on the paved areas. Grass pavers in the center are another fix; we cover them in turfstone pavers.
Runoff, cost and zoning
A ribbon driveway usually has 60 to 70% less impervious surface than a full-width driveway, according to Burlington's handout. That means less runoff toward the street and the house, and in some towns less paved area counting against lot-coverage limits. Burlington's own zoning gave ribbon driveways a coverage credit, counting only the paved strips. Check whether your town does anything similar.
Cost falls with the paved area, but not in proportion. You still pay for excavation, a full-depth base under each strip, and twice the edge restraint per foot of driveway. The pavers and bedding are where the savings show.
Strip paver driveways work where the drive is short and straight
Strip paver driveways are a good choice for a short, straight drive, a vintage house or a lot where runoff matters. Build two 24-inch-plus strips about 5 feet on center. Give each one a real driveway base and a restraint on both sides, lay the pavers in herringbone, and pick a center fill you're willing to maintain. For a wider, turning-friendly surface beside the ribbons, see our sibling guide to parking pad pavers. The cars will stay on the strips most of the time. The delivery trucks never will.
FAQ
How wide should the strips be on a ribbon driveway?
At least 24 inches each, set about 5 feet apart center to center, per the City of Burlington's guidance. Go wider, around 30 inches, if several vehicles with different wheel spacing use the drive.
Are strip driveways cheaper than full paver driveways?
Usually, but by less than the area suggests, since each strip still needs full-depth excavation, base and edge restraint on both sides.
What do you put between driveway strips?
Grass, a low ground cover such as creeping thyme, or gravel. Each trades looks against upkeep; see the table above.
Do ribbon driveways work in snow?
Yes, with care. Snowblowers work well, but plow blades can scrape the center planting and catch paver edges. Mark the strip edges with stakes before the first snow so the plow driver can find them.
Can you park on a ribbon driveway?
Yes, on the strips. Move parked cars from time to time so the center planting doesn't die in the shade, and add a full-width paved pad where cars sit for long periods.
