Considering that Texas encompasses more than 268,000 square miles, it is no surprise that it has almost 680,000 miles of roads. If you live in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, you might assume that all roads and streets in Texas are paved. However, you do not need to travel far from the metroplex to find numerous gravel and dirt roads. Some are private roads, but there are also many farm-to-market roads and county roads that are partially or completely unpaved. Furthermore, there are a surprising number of gravel or grass parking lots. Homeowners, local leaders, and business owners often cite the cost of installing and maintaining an asphalt pavement as a reason to avoid paving. The question is whether it is truly more economical to not pave a parking lot or roadway. The answer is that it depends on the specific situation. In addition, there are other factors that should be considered beyond just the cost to install and maintain a pavement.
What Is the Most Significant Factor to Consider When Deciding Whether to Pave a Road or Parking Lot?
The first factor to consider is the number of vehicles that use the road or parking lot during a typical 24-hour period. The type of vehicles should also be considered. If only 10 or 20 passenger cars use the parking lot or road, the cost of paving repairs will be roughly the same for gravel and asphalt paving in Dallas. However, if the road or parking lot is used by 10 or 20 heavyweight trucks each day, it will usually cost more to have a Dallas paving company maintain the gravel pavement than a comparable asphalt pavement. The same is true if the total number of vehicles averages more than 100 per day. Once a gravel or dirt pavement is supporting between 250 and 300 vehicles, it will cost about three times as much to maintain than an asphalt pavement. It should also be noted that asphalt parking lot maintenance in Dallas TX is typically quite economical. With the bountiful rainfall that the area receives, gravel parking lots and roads can become dangerously rutted after a single heavy rain. The cost of having a contractor repeatedly grade a gravel parking lot or road just so it can be safely used can potentially exceed the cost of more than a year’s worth of asphalt paving or parking lot repair.
What Other Factors Should Be Considered When Deciding Whether to Pave In Dallas?
Although the cost is normally the first argument used against paving Dallas parking lots and roads, there are several other points that favor contacting an asphalt street or parking lot paving contractor.
1. Most people seriously dislike taking their vehicles on an unpaved road or parking lot. On a dirt or gravel road, a car can stir up more than four pounds of dust per mile. This airborne dust can obscure the driver’s vision, but the dust will also find its way into nearby businesses and homes, potentially causing or worsening respiratory problems for occupants. Drivers also worry about damaging their vehicles. They are concerned that gravel could chip the paint on their vehicles or crack their windshield. Even in an unpaved parking lot, drivers worry that they could damage their cars by striking a pothole or driving over a deep rut.
2. Because drivers prefer to avoid gravel or dirt pavements, there are economic impacts. If you have an unpaved parking lot, potential customers may be passing you by in favor of a competitor with an asphalt parking lot installed by a Dallas paving company. In addition, you may have more trouble attracting employees. The lack of paving can also have a dramatic effect on both residential and commercial property values.
3. Asphalt produces a safer pavement than dirt or gravel, which become slippery when wet and can develop dangerous ruts. Drivers could lose control of their vehicles after striking a rut, go into a skid, and wind up hitting an embankment or landing in a ditch. Furthermore, striping would be an exercise in futility, so drivers lack visual clues, especially at night or under foggy or wet conditions.
HI-TEK Paving is a Dallas-based asphalt paving company and is ready and able to provide you with high-quality results and professional attention. Our services include asphalt paving and overlays, parking lot striping and marking, asphalt repairs, parking lot resurfacing, concrete installation and repairs, asphalt sealcoating, parking lot maintenance plans, and asphalt crack repairs. We have an exceptional reputation for craftsmanship and customer service. To request a free quote, call our Forney office at 214-908-9641, email Kevin@HI-TEKPaving.com, or complete the online form.