Asphalt Paving in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Asphalt Paving in Fort Lauderdale starts with one question before anything else: where will the water go? The city sits at an elevation of roughly 7 feet, has about 165 miles of inland waterways inside its limits, and averages close to 61 inches of rain a year. A driveway or parking area here is part of the drainage system whether anyone planned it that way or not, so we design the slope first and pick the asphalt thickness second.

That approach comes from the record. On April 12, 2023, Fort Lauderdale took in 25.91 inches of rain, flooding streets and temporarily shutting the airport. No pavement can absorb a day like that, but a surface that pitches away from the house, toward a swale or inlet, recovers far faster after ordinary summer storms than one that holds puddles against a garage door.

How we lay out a Fort Lauderdale job

• Shoot existing grades and mark where runoff currently travels
• Set a cross-slope so water leaves the slab instead of pooling on it
• Keep finished height in mind at doorways, garage thresholds and seawall-side yards
• Check whether any part of the work reaches the swale or public right-of-way
• Put the scope, materials and drainage plan in a written quote

The swale and the city's engineering desk

The strip between your property line and the street usually belongs to the public right-of-way. Fort Lauderdale's Engineering Permitting Division reviews construction permits for driveway, sidewalk and roadway improvements in that area. If a new apron or widened entrance crosses into the swale, we plan for that review rather than treat it as an afterthought, and we can help put together the application where the city allows it; the city may ask a contractor to register before submitting. Rules change, so confirm current requirements with the city before work begins.

Sun, heat and oxidation

The South Florida climate works on asphalt year-round: relentless UV and heat oxidize the binder, turning a black surface gray and brittle, and coastal exposure adds wear. Sealcoating on a regular cycle slows that process. On older pavement that has already cracked through, we look at patching or a resurfacing overlay before recommending a full tear-out.

Storm season planning

Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and the city was struck by Wilma in 2005 and directly affected by Irma in 2017. Scheduling paving for drier months, and fixing low spots before the wet season arrives, is a practical way to limit standing water on a lot or driveway. After a big storm, it is also worth walking the surface for new settlement or washed-out edges, since small depressions that collect water tend to grow into potholes once traffic starts pounding them.