Asphalt Paving in Florida City, FL

Asphalt paving in Florida City serves two very different kinds of property. Along US 1, much of the city is hotels, gas stations, restaurants and other businesses that serve travelers heading to the Florida Keys or Everglades National Park. Their lots see steady traffic from cars, RVs and trucks around the clock. Off the highway, residential streets have driveways that need the same care as any in South Dade, on ground that sits only a few feet above sea level.

A city on the rock ridge

Wikipedia notes that the Miami Rock Ridge holds most of Florida City, at roughly 5 to 8 feet above sea level. That ridge is oolitic limestone, and the soil on top of it is thin. For paving, it means a firm subgrade once loose material is removed, but also that excavation often reaches rock. We plan for that when setting grades and pricing a job.

Busy commercial lots

The Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike ends at US 1 in Florida City, and US 1 continues south as the only road to the Keys. The city also sits at the eastern end of the only road through Everglades National Park to Flamingo. Lots near that junction carry turning traffic, RVs and trailers that are hard on asphalt. Entrances, fuel islands and dumpster pads usually fail first. We build those sections thicker, keep drainage moving to the inlets and phase work so the business stays open.

Homes and smaller drives

Florida City's 2020 count came to 13,085 people living in 4,088 homes and apartments. Many homes have short driveways that meet the swale directly with no curb. Those edges are where water and tires do the most damage. When we replace or repair a drive here, we compact the base past the paved edge and finish the edge so it is supported.

Agricultural roots

Tomatoes, squash and other winter crops were long grown around Florida City and sold at the state farmers' market near Krome Avenue and Palm Drive. Packing and farm properties on the edge of town often have rock or shell drives and work yards. Paving them is a larger project, and the existing rock can often be reworked into the new base.

Storm history and rebuilt pavement

Hurricane Andrew caused catastrophic damage in Florida City and neighboring Homestead in August 1992. Much of the pavement in town dates from the rebuilding that followed or from later redevelopment along US 1. Lots of that age often show a predictable pattern: a surface that has dried out and lost its fine stone from years of sun, cracks that have let water into the base, and potholes clustered where trucks turn. On a lot like that, we mark which sections can be overlaid and which need to be cut out and rebuilt, so you can plan the work in stages if needed.

Working around travelers

Because so many Florida City businesses serve people passing through, closing a lot even for a day costs real money. We plan the order of work around your peak hours, keep signs and cones clear for drivers who do not know the area, and leave a usable lane open whenever the layout allows.

Residential edges and swales

On residential streets, many driveways end at a grass swale with no curb. When we replace one, we set the apron so water leaves the drive and flows into the swale instead of pooling at the edge of the pavement.