Asphalt Paving in Grand Rapids, MI

Asphalt paving in Grand Rapids covers a wider range of houses than almost anywhere else in West Michigan. The city has 37 official neighborhoods, from Heritage Hill, where about 1,300 homes date back as far as 1848, to Creston, Alger Heights, Ottawa Hills and the newer streets toward the city limits. Older lots tend to have narrow driveways squeezed between houses, detached garages at the back of the lot and alley access. Postwar blocks have short, wide drives that meet a concrete approach at the sidewalk. The work is similar on all of them; the planning is not.

Narrow drives and tight access

On many older city lots, the driveway is barely wider than a car and runs between two houses to a garage in back. Equipment access is the first question. We plan which machines fit, where the truck can stand, how the old surface comes out and where the new mix is staged. Drainage is the second question: water from two roofs often lands on that strip, and if it has nowhere to go, it soaks into the base. Moving a downspout or adding a slight crown can do as much for the new driveway as an extra inch of asphalt.

The approach is the city's

Between the sidewalk and the curb, the driveway approach sits in the public right-of-way. Grand Rapids requires a Sidewalk/Drive Approach Permit to build, rebuild, remove or repair it, and the permit can only be pulled by someone holding the city's Sidewalk Builder's License. For a one- or two-unit home, the fee is $75 for under 200 square feet of concrete work and $175 above that, and the permit is valid for 60 days. A new driveway or new curb cut can also need a driveway, encroachment or LUDS permit. If your project stops at your property line, none of that applies, and we will tell you which case you are in.

Sidewalks on a 15-year cycle

The city inspects public sidewalks on a 15-year revolving cycle, marking failing squares for repair. A white mark means the square will be replaced in an upcoming road project. If your driveway crosses a marked square, it is worth knowing before you pave so the new asphalt meets the replaced concrete cleanly.

Winter is the real test

The city averages about 75 inches of snow and around 138 nights below freezing a year. Residents have 24 hours after a snowfall stops to clear their sidewalks, and every shovel and snowblower pass works against loose driveway edges. A driveway built for that has backed-up edges, a smooth joint at the garage and sidewalk, and no low spots where slush freezes into ice.

Historic districts

The city's Historic Preservation Commission reviews exterior work in Grand Rapids' six historic districts and on designated landmarks. If your home is in one of them, check with the city before changing a driveway's size, location or material. Resurfacing an existing asphalt drive in the same footprint is usually a different matter than adding a new parking area, and we will point you to the right office.

Call (616) 984-1897 or

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to have us look at your driveway.