Get matched with top gravel driveway repair pros in Bridgeport, NE

There’s no single best asphalt grade—it all comes down to where and how it’s used. Highways and heavy-traffic roads need something tough, like polymer-modified asphalt (PMA) or Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA). Local roads and parking lots rely on the Performance Graded (PG) system, chosen based on climate. A PG 64-28 mix, for example, handles a broad temperature range while simpler, more cost-effective mixes are typically enough for residential driveways. The best grade of asphalt depends on traffic, weather, and your budget, which is why a professional’s input is always a smart move before making a decision.

Things like gravel, crushed shells, or even sand works with shallow potholes. For larger damages, use cold patch asphalt or a concrete mix. Make sure you compress the material enough so it stays intact against the traffic. Loose gravel is the most affordable option in most cases, but concrete is often the most reliable and durable.

Cracking, surface crumbling, weather-induced damage, and potholes are common issues necessitating asphalt repair.

Though they may look similar, tar and bitumen come from different sources. Bitumen is a petroleum product—extracted during crude oil refining—and is mostly made up of hydrocarbons. Tar comes from burning down organic materials like coal or wood. Bitumen is strictly oil-based, while tar is a mix of compounds from natural sources. Both are used as binders in paving; however, bitumen is the standard for today’s asphalt. Tar use has mostly faded out of road construction.