County tore up new driveway to move culvert?

Question

I just had my ditches dug out by the county, not at my request. As a result, my new culvert that was installed 2 months ago along with my new blacktop driveway, are too high for the water to drain. Today I went home for lunch and they had cut 2 perpendicular lines into my new driveway, about 6 feet apart over the culvert. They are aparently going to remove the blacktop and lower the culvert so it will drain. What are the odds that the county will then replace my blacktop so that it is just like new again when they're done? If they don't, do I have a legal leg to stand on to sue them for damages or am I going to have to eat the cost of replacing it myself?

Answer 1

If you're nice about it, you can probably get the County to redo the blacktop.  The County isn't in the business of pissing off folks.

However, if you get ugly and start waving around words like "sue" and "lawsuit" they're likely to tell you to shove off.  You don't own the land that culvert is on - it's a County right-of-way.  They can come in and dig it up all they want and provided they don't obstruct access to your house they can leave it dug up.

Answer 2

have you ever driven down the street and seen different color parts of the road where the county had previously dug up?  Thats pretty much the same thing that will happen with your new blacktop.  Its going to look ugly and discolored and you will pretty much have to redo it yourself and just take before and after pics and sue later.  

Answer 3

.    I would guess that you have a 25% chance of getting your driveway replaced.  The work done by the county has improved your property by $thousands.