Asphalt Paving in Piedmont, SD

Asphalt paving in Piedmont means building on some of the most distinctive ground around the Black Hills. Piedmont sits in the Red Valley, a band of red shale with gypsum beds in the Spearfish Formation, on the eastern slope of the Hills. The name itself comes from a French term for the foot of the mountain. Shale like this can swell and soften when wet, and gypsum can dissolve over time, so base and drainage get extra attention on every job here.

A city since 2007

Piedmont was founded in 1890 and stayed unincorporated for nearly 117 years before becoming a city on August 16, 2007. It grew from 222 residents in 2010 to 971 in 2020, an increase of 337 percent. Interstate 90 runs through the city between Rapid City and Sturgis, with Summerset to the south and Elk Creek to the north.

Building a better base

On red shale, we dig through the topsoil and any soft clay until we reach firm material, then build up with compacted gravel base. Where water would collect against the pavement, we shape the surface and the ground beside it so runoff moves away. A driveway on dry, compacted base with sealed cracks handles freeze and thaw far better than one laid straight on wet shale.

Signs of trouble

• Long cracks parallel to the edge where the lawn stays wet
• Humps that rise in late winter and settle in summer
• Patches that sink again within a year
• Water that sits in the same low spot after every storm

Each of these points to water and ground movement. We find the cause before we recommend a fix.

Meade County approaches

For properties on Meade County roads, the county approach permit costs $125 and requires an access sketch, vicinity map, development plan and drainage plan. The permit is issued after the approach is built and passes inspection, and the county may require a culvert. We can prepare the sketch and drainage details.

Foothill driveways

Western Piedmont climbs toward the national forest, and some driveways there are long and sloped. Steep stretches need crown or cross-slope so water leaves the surface, and supported edges so runoff does not undercut them.

Costs

HomeGuide lists new asphalt driveways at about $5 to $12 or more per square foot, with heavier sections and extra base adding cost. Angi lists driveway culverts at $1,500 to $5,000 where one is needed. We put each item on the quote separately.

Typical jobs here

We see new driveways for recent homes, rebuilt sections where shale has heaved, long foothill drives, and approaches onto county roads that need a permit and culvert.

Call (605) 605-1613 or

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for a free Piedmont estimate.