Asphalt Paving in Lead, SD

Asphalt paving in Lead is about as demanding as it gets in the Black Hills. Lead averages 183.9 inches of snow a year, set a seasonal record of 364.7 inches in the winter of 1993 to 1994, and had 73 inches of snow on the ground on March 1, 1998. The town sits at about 5,296 feet on steep slopes. Pavement here gets buried, plowed, sanded and soaked by meltwater for half the year.

A town built over a mine

Lead was founded on July 10, 1876, as a company town for the Homestake Mining Company. Homestake grew into the largest and most productive gold mine in the Western Hemisphere and reached 8,240 feet deep before closing in January 2002. The site now hosts the Sanford Underground Research Facility. In the early 1930s, many buildings in the canyon bottom were moved uphill over fears of cave-ins from the mine's tunnels.

Steep streets, careful drainage

On Lead's hillsides, water from melting snow runs down driveways and along their edges. We shape surfaces to send water off to the side, build up and support edges, and pay close attention to the bottom of the drive where it meets the street and plows. On sharp turns and steep pitches, thicker asphalt resists the scuffing from spinning tires.

Historic district

In 1974 most of the city was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Lead Historic District, with over 400 buildings across 580 acres. For work near historic buildings, we suggest checking with the city about any review before plans are set.

Short season

With heavy snow and cool nights well into spring, Lead's paving season is short. Hot-mix paving fits the warmest weeks of summer, and crack sealing should happen by late summer. Sealcoating needs dry days above about 50 degrees.

Population

Lead had 8,392 people at its 1910 peak, making it the second-largest town in the state then. The 2020 census counted 2,982. Many homes and driveways are old, and replacement with a proper base often makes more sense than more patching.

Costs

HomeGuide notes that slopes and curves can add 15 to 30 percent to driveway cost and extreme-climate mixes 10 to 20 percent. Haul distance up the hill is also part of the price. Everything is itemized on the quote.

Typical jobs here

In Lead, most jobs are driveway replacements on older homes, repairs to steep drives, and edge and drainage work where meltwater has undercut pavement. Small lots for businesses and churches need patching, sealing and fresh striping.

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