Asphalt Paving in Des Plaines, IL

Asphalt paving in Des Plaines starts with a city that grew alongside O'Hare. Des Plaines had 14,994 residents in 1950 and 34,886 in 1960, a 133 percent jump, as the airport and the postwar suburbs expanded. It counted 60,675 residents and 25,094 housing units in 2020. Many of the 1950s and 60s homes still have driveways that have been patched and resurfaced for decades.

City driveway rules

The city's residential driveway permit guide from Community and Economic Development requires a building permit applied for online. It sets a minimum width of 10 feet and maximum widths of 20, 23 and 26 feet for one-, two- and three-car garages, a 2-foot setback from side and rear lot lines and aprons that flare 3 feet. The Building Division inspects before paving and at completion. We plan the layout and schedule around those rules.

Weather at O'Hare

Normals at O'Hare show a January mean temperature around 25 degrees and about 38 inches of snow a year. Plows, salt and freeze-thaw take their toll; cracks sealed in the fall and a sealcoat every few years slow the damage.

The river

The Des Plaines River runs through the city, and flooding has been a recurring problem; the McDonald's museum, a replica of Ray Kroc's first franchise, was demolished in 2018 after repeated flooding. Low lots near the river need careful drainage and a solid stone base.

Commercial and airport-area lots

Hotels, offices, warehouses and retail near O'Hare and along major roads need pavement that handles heavy, constant use. We design truck zones separately and phase work to keep lots open.

Apron flare and width

The city's rule that aprons flare 3 feet gives cars room to turn in without riding over the curb or the parkway. When we replace a driveway, we lay out the apron to that standard and match it to the new driveway width.

Planning around inspections

The Building Division inspects before paving and at completion. We schedule the pre-paving inspection as soon as the base is ready so the asphalt can go down promptly while the base is still dry.

Postwar neighborhoods near O'Hare

The neighborhoods that drove the 1950s boom are now about seventy years old. Many driveways there have been overlaid until they sit high, and bases have settled at the apron. Replacement resets heights and grades.

Business lots near the airport

Warehouses, hotels and offices in Des Plaines see constant traffic. Truck zones need thicker sections, and lots need regular crack sealing and restriping.

Flood-aware drainage

With a history of river flooding, grading that moves water off the driveway and toward the street or a lawn matters even more here.

Free estimates

We visit, check the base and drainage, and send a written quote with permit details. Call (224) 524-1410 or

Get a Free Estimate

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