Paving in Clifton, TX drives and roads that handle Bosque floods

Paving in Clifton: what’s different here

Clifton, the Norwegian Capital of Texas, sits in the Bosque River valley about 45 minutes northwest of Waco on SH 6. Bosque County around it is Grand Prairie country, with flat-topped limestone hills and grassy valleys, ranches and long private drives.

The river shapes everything here. In May 2024 the North Bosque flooded so badly that the county sheriff called Clifton an island with water all around it, SH 6 closed to Valley Mills, and the American Legion post took on up to 30 inches of water. Locals compared it to the 1991 flood. Any road or driveway near the river or its creeks has to be built for water: proper crown, ditches and culverts sized for real storms.

On the hills, the limestone gives a solid foundation for a chip seal ranch road. In the valleys, the soil is river-deposited and softer, so we build up and compact the base before we seal it.

Before you pave in Clifton

• Near the Bosque River and its creeks, plan culverts and drainage for heavy floods.
• Driveways onto SH 6 or other state roads need a TxDOT permit.
• Check with the City of Clifton and Bosque County about permits and culverts.
• In the river valleys, the base usually needs building up before sealing.