Asphalt Paving in Arlington, VA

Asphalt paving in Arlington works within tight limits. Arlington is the smallest self-governing county in the United States, about 26 square miles, and the 2020 census counted 238,643 people in it. Single-family lots are small, many driveways are short and steep, and garden-apartment complexes built from the New Deal era through the postwar years fill whole neighborhoods with shared parking. The land rises from the Potomac to 451 feet at Minor's Hill, and a lot of driveways climb with it.

County roads, not VDOT

Arlington is one of only two Virginia counties that maintain their own local roads; the other is Henrico. VDOT handles the interstates and U.S. routes, but the residential street in front of most Arlington homes belongs to the county. That means questions about curb cuts, aprons and sidewalk crossings go to Arlington County, not VDOT, and we check the county's current requirements before any work at the curb.

Steep driveways

On the hillier streets of North Arlington and along the ridges, many driveways drop from the street to a garage under the house or climb to a pad above it. Steep driveways need careful compaction from the bottom up, a surface texture that gives tires grip, and a plan for water. A garage at the bottom of a driveway collects everything that runs down it unless the grade or a trench drain turns it away.

Garden apartments and condo lots

The garden apartments built across Arlington from the 1930s through the 1950s often have parking areas that have been patched for decades. For those properties, full-depth repairs at entrances and dumpster areas, crack sealing, a mill-and-overlay and fresh striping keep the lot usable without closing it. We phase the work so each building keeps access.

Four Mile Run and drainage

Four Mile Run drains much of the county and has a long flooding history; during a July 2019 storm it rose about 11 feet in an hour. Neighborhoods along its tributaries see fast runoff in heavy storms. Driveways and lots there need slopes that move water quickly to a drain and edges that do not wash out.

What we do in Arlington

• Driveway replacement on small, steep lots
• Resurfacing where the base is still sound
• Parking lot repair, overlay and striping for apartments and condos
• Pothole, trench and edge repairs
• Crack sealing and sealcoating

Small lots, careful staging

On a typical Arlington lot there is nowhere to pile stone or park a dump truck except the street. We schedule deliveries so material goes straight from the truck to the driveway, keep the sidewalk passable with plywood where needed and sweep the street clean at the end of the day. For driveways shared with a neighbor or reached through an alley, we confirm access and timing with everyone involved before we start.

Bike lanes and sidewalks

Many Arlington streets have bike lanes, sidewalks and curb ramps right at the end of the driveway. Keeping those clear and undamaged during work is part of the job, and any change to the curb itself goes through the county.

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