Recycled Asphalt Driveways in Loveland, CO

Recycled asphalt driveways use millings, the ground-up asphalt removed when roads are resurfaced. Spread over a graded base and compacted with a roller, millings bind together into a firm, dark surface that sheds dust better than gravel and costs less than new hot-mix asphalt. The approach shows up on page one of Google for Loveland, in local groups offering recycled asphalt driveways and grading, because it suits the long drives and shop yards on acreage around the city.

Where it fits

Millings work well on rural driveways off county roads, parking pads for RVs, trailers and equipment, shop yards, and access lanes that see light traffic. They are less suited to a short suburban driveway in a subdivision, where a clean hot-mix edge is expected and HOA rules may require standard paving.

Cost

Angi lists millings at about $10 to $20 per ton for the material and $3 to $8 per square foot installed, compared with $90 to $190 per ton for new asphalt. A 20 by 20 foot area runs about $900 to $2,300 in material. Delivery is $30 to $100 a load, with up to 20 tons per truck. Long country drives are where the savings add up.

How we build it

The drive is graded first, with a crown or cross-slope so water runs off. Soft areas are dug out and filled with base. Millings are spread in lifts and compacted with a heavy roller, and on warm days the leftover binder in the millings helps them knit together. Edges are shaped so they do not ravel into the ditch.

Honest limits

Angi notes that millings can contain oils or other substances from the old road, that they can stay soft if not compacted properly, and that they need periodic re-compaction and sealing; it puts re-compaction at $1 to $5 per square foot. A well-built and maintained millings drive can last 20 to 30 years, but it will never look exactly like hot-mix. We explain the trade-offs before you choose.

County access rules

If your drive connects to a numbered Larimer County road or a county-maintained subdivision road, the county requires an access permit, $50 for a one- or two-home residential access, with a culvert of at least 15 inches where one is needed. In Weld County, access permits run through the county E-Permit Center and need four photos of the access point. We check road ownership before work starts.