Paving in Dallas–Fort Worth south metro driveways, lots and repairs

The south Metroplex is our busiest area

More of our customers call from the south side of Dallas–Fort Worth than anywhere else: Burleson, south Fort Worth and Crowley, Grand Prairie, Arlington, Mansfield, Cleburne and Waxahachie. It’s a mix of fast-growing suburbs, older neighborhoods with tired driveways, new business parks, and acreage at the edges where chip seal still makes sense.

The ground is the common thread. Ellis County and the east side of Tarrant and Johnson counties sit on Blackland Prairie clay, including Houston Black, the Texas state soil, which cracks up to 4 inches wide in dry months and drains very slowly when wet. Farther west you get limestone and marl of the Grand Prairie and the sandier Cross Timbers. Regional engineers note that this shrinking and swelling contributes to rough, deteriorating pavement, which is why DFW cities commonly treat the subgrade with lime or cement under new streets.

Every city here has its own rules, and some are strict: Grand Prairie doesn’t allow new gravel driveways and sets minimum asphalt and concrete thicknesses; Arlington requires concrete approaches and paved front-yard parking; Fort Worth requires a permit for driveway approaches and culverts in the parkway. We build to the rules of the city you’re in, and we’ll tell you up front what they are.

Worth knowing before you pave in DFW

• Most cities require a permit for any driveway approach or work in the street right-of-way. Grand Prairie, Arlington, Fort Worth, Burleson and Cleburne all do.
• Several cities require front-yard parking and driveways to be asphalt or concrete. Gravel and tar and chip are fine on rural acreage but not everywhere in town.
• Driveways onto state highways and FM roads need a TxDOT driveway permit.
• On Blackland clay, ask how the subgrade and base will be handled. It matters more than the surface.