Why You Should Make Driveway Pothole Repair in Philadelphia, PA a Priority
July 6, 2026

July 6, 2026

Potholes are an unfortunate reality across the northern portions of the United States. The freezing and thawing cycles that occur with the changing of the seasons can wreak havoc on roads and pavement, and potholes are just one example of the results that can occur.


Potholes occur when ice and water from rain or melting snow move the soil underneath the surface of the concrete or asphalt. This results in less support for the paved surface. As vehicles repeatedly drive over that unsupported surface area, holes can result, and they’ll gradually grow wider and deeper over time. The water and ice often get down under the surface from cracks or holes in the concrete that were not patched up earlier.


When potholes appear in roads, they pose a danger to drivers and vehicles that may run over them. There’s not much you can personally do about potholes in city streets other than taking a different route or trying to avoid them when you see them. But when the pothole is in your own driveway, you should make it a priority to fix it up so you can protect your car and the cars of anyone else who may visit your property.


When a car hits a pothole, at the very least you risk damaging your tires, either hurting the sidewalls or the treads of the tires. Potholes can also damage the wheels, exhaust system or suspension, or if you have a low-riding vehicle, its body. The kind of damage that might occur to your vehicle really depends on the size of the pothole, the kind of vehicle you have and the speed and angle at which you hit the hole. The damage can, in some cases, end up being major.


Here’s some information from our team about driveway pothole repair in Philadelphia, PA.



Fixing a pothole in your driveway


Fixing potholes in an asphalt driveway is relatively simple. You can purchase pre-mixed asphalt patching products. Remove debris from the hole, and then just pour the patch material into the hole, pushing it down to make it compact and even with the surrounding pavement. Add as much patching material as you need to make sure it completely fills in the hole, then add just a bit extra on top. You may need to wait a bit to put sealer on the new asphalt—the instructions on the material packaging should tell you how long that will take.


If you have a dirt driveway you can remove the debris and fill it in with dirt instead of the asphalt patch material. The same is true with gravel driveways as well. In both cases, fill in the hole so it rises just above the surface of the driveway, then drive over the area to compact the material, adding more as necessary.


It can help to add dirt or gravel to the center of the driveway when installing it so that water runs off to either side rather than accumulating in the middle. This will help prevent potholes from forming in the first place.


For more information about driveway pothole repair in Philadelphia, PA, contact the team at Philly Concrete & Asphalt Paving Inc. today.


Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.


< Older Post

 Newer Post >

Make Your Sidewalks ADA Compliant

July 6, 2026
Sidewalk accessibility is something every community should be focused on to ensure people who use wheelchairs or crutches are able to easily navigate the city safely. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has a number of guidelines in place that help ensure accessibility for people with disabilities in all areas, including transportation infrastructure. Here is a quick overview of some of the specific requirements for wheelchair accessible sidewalks in Philadelphia, PA under the ADA: Width: The ADA has specific sidewalk width requirements to ensure they are capable of being used by people in wheelchairs. Compliant sidewalks are at least three feet wide. If less than five feet wide, there must be passing spaces created at certain intervals, measuring at least 60 inches on all sides. These passing zones should be placed every 200 feet. Texture: The texture of the sidewalk should be slip-resistant, stable and firm, which helps ensure people using mobility devices are more easily able to navigate the sidewalk without safety concerns. Any finishing done on standard concrete must be performed with these standards in mind. These standards are also in place for any grates that may be inset into the sidewalk. The openings in grates should be less than ½ inch across to ensure mobility devices do not get stuck in them. Ramps: Curb ramps are required any time a sidewalk crosses a curb, especially at street intersections. These curb ramps have specific slope requirements (less than 1:12) and must be at least 36 inches wide with a detectable warning device, such as raised dome surfaces and contrasting colors. You’ll often find many ADA compliant curb ramps are painted bright yellow to make them easily noticeable. If there is a marked crosswalk, the ramp should be entirely contained in the crosswalk. Slope: There are specific slope requirements for ADA sidewalks (less than 1:20). Otherwise, any sidewalk that exceeds this slope requirement will technically be classified as a ramp, which makes it subject to different ADA standards. Increases of more than ½ inch in elevation and exceeding the allowable slope for a sidewalk will require constructions of ramps or, in more severe circumstances, elevators or other types of compliant assistance facilities. There must always be alternatives to escalators and stairs. Obstructions: There may be obstructions in the sidewalk, such as utility poles, traffic signal devices, fire hydrants and various other types of infrastructure. An ADA compliant sidewalk must have at least 36 inches of space between the edge of the obstruction and the edge of the sidewalk. If the sidewalk cannot feasibly be constructed to comply with this standard, it is possible the obstruction will need to be relocated or removed entirely. These are just a few examples of some of the requirements municipalities must follow when designing new sidewalks or renovating old ones. For more information about ADA requirements for accessibility in public spaces, we encourage you to contact Philly Concrete & Asphalt Paving Inc. today. We’d be happy to tell you more about how we can help with wheelchair accessible sidewalks in Philadelphia, PA.

Autumn Maintenance to Protect Pavement Through the Winter

July 6, 2026
Just like with vehicles and mechanical systems, preventative maintenance is crucial for the long-term health of your asphalt surfaces to keep them in good, durable condition for years to come. While there will be a lot of asphalt maintenance steps you’ll want to take in the spring after winter has run its course, there are also some steps you can take in the fall (as weather allows) to protect your pavement before winter fully settles in and the regular freezing and thawing cycles begin to occur. With this in mind, here are a few tips for autumn asphalt protection in Philadelphia, PA. Fill cracks Cracks of all sizes can quickly become major problems if you fail to fill them. When there are cracks in the pavement, rainwater and moisture can seep down into the base layers that hold up the pavement. If that sub-base gets damaged, it becomes more likely that the cracks will expand and/or that potholes will begin to form. The larger the cracks and holes, the more at risk the area is for water getting in and wreaking havoc on the structural integrity of the pavement. Therefore, it’s a good idea to prevent this small damage from becoming larger ahead of winter. You can protect your pavement from moisture falling below and freezing, hopefully lessening the amount of repair work you have to do in the spring once the freezing cycles are over. Improve runoff Have you noticed water pooling in certain places on your driveway or sidewalks? If so, that could potentially mean you have an uneven top layer of asphalt. It might just mean the area was not paved properly, but it could also be an indication of a problem with the sub-base. Whatever the issue, uneven areas with pooling water are much more likely to result in potholes, and during the winter months, these are areas where ice can quickly build up, resulting in safety hazards for people on your property. You can patch the area to make a level surface and improve water runoff, or use porous asphalt to allow water to run through the asphalt and sub-base and back down into the ground. Sealcoating Asphalt should be resealed every three to five years to protect its long-term viability and durability. Generally, the best time of year to do this is anywhere from the late spring to the early fall, but as long as the nighttime temperature is at least 50 degrees, you should be able to get the job done. It’s best to do it before the leaves begin to fall so they don’t cause any extra challenges with getting the sealcoating done. If it’s too late for you to get your sealcoating done this fall, make sure you prioritize it once the weather warms up in the spring so you have a protected asphalt surface all summer long. For more information about autumn asphalt protection in Philadelphia, PA and the steps you should take, contact the team at Philly Concrete & Asphalt Paving, Inc. today. Leave a Reply You must be logged in to post a comment.

How Do I Know if My Parking Lot Is ADA Compliant?

July 6, 2026
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) governs compliance with a wide variety of regulations to ensure public spaces are fully accessible to people with all types of disabilities. Business owners must design and maintain their properties with ADA compliance in mind, and if they are deficient in any areas of compliance, they must take the proper steps to upgrade their properties and make their spaces accessible to people with disabilities. Among the issues covered under the ADA is parking lot accessibility. What exactly makes for an ADA-compliant parking lot in Philadelphia, PA? Here’s a quick overview of what you need to know. Accessible spaces All public parking lots are required to have accessible spaces, marked with handicap signs and paint. This is the primary issue that makes parking lots ADA compliant. Parking spaces are accessible when they meet the proper dimensions, have the correct signage in place, have pavement markings and have the correct pavement slope. Let’s take a closer look at these issues: Dimensions: All accessible parking spaces should be at least eight feed wide with an adjacent aisle that is also at least eight feet wide. Two spaces can share that same aisle for access. If the space is also to be van accessible, there must be vertical clearance of 98 inches or more. Pavement markings: Accessible parking spaces do not have to have the international symbol for accessibility (the handicap sign) painted directly on the pavement, but it is generally recommended to do so. Access aisles along the accessible spots must be painted with hash marks to denote that they are not parking spots. Pavement slope: Parking spaces and aisles must not have a slope of any greater than two percent in any direction, which means a maximum of one inch of vertical incline or decline for every 50 inches of horizontal length. This may require construction teams to level the land before marking off the spot. Signage: Accessible parking spots must have a sign featuring the international symbol of accessibility and measuring at least 12 inches by 18 inches. The sign must notify the public that violators can face a fine. The sign must be mounted to ensure it is 60 to 66 inches above the pavement and must be centered in the parking space. Accessible parking lots will also have a minimum number of accessible parking spaces that varies depending on the overall size of the lot. Generally, the rule is one accessible spot for every 25 spaces in total, but once you get to more than 500 spots, it starts to go by percentages (two percent of total spaces). At least one of every six accessible spots must be van accessible. The rules may vary for certain types of structures—residential or healthcare facilities might require more accessible spots than other types of public structures. For more information about how you can ensure your business has an ADA-compliant parking lot in Philadelphia, PA, contact the experts at Philly Concrete & Asphalt Paving, Inc. today. Leave a Reply You must be logged in to post a comment.
Show More →