Paving in Hillsboro, TX built for expansive clay

Paving in Hillsboro: what’s different here

Hillsboro sits where I-35 splits into I-35E toward Dallas and I-35W toward Fort Worth, about 35 minutes north of our Waco office. It’s the Hill County seat, with the 1890 courthouse at its center, Lake Aquilla and Katy Lake partly inside city limits, and Lake Whitney a short drive west.

Hillsboro’s soil is a big deal. The city itself warns about expansive soils and requires new foundations to be engineered by a licensed engineer. That same clay is hard on pavement, cracking it as it swells and shrinks. A properly compacted base, good drainage and crack sealing are what make a Hillsboro driveway last.

The city’s permit rule is simple: a driveway that sits entirely on private property and doesn’t tie into the curb or street doesn’t need a permit. If it connects to the curb or street, call Hillsboro Building Inspection about a permit.

Before you pave in Hillsboro

• A driveway entirely on private property that doesn’t tie into the curb or street doesn’t need a Hillsboro permit.
• If your driveway connects to the curb or street, call Hillsboro Building Inspection (254-580-1144) about a permit.
• Driveways onto I-35 frontage roads or state highways need a TxDOT permit.
• Expansive soil: ask how the base will be built, not just what goes on top.