Atlantic Highlands rises from the shore of Sandy Hook Bay up to some of the highest ground on the Atlantic coast, and that change in elevation shapes every driveway in town. Dan The Paver builds asphalt driveways for homeowners in this Monmouth County borough, from flat lots near the harbor to steep drives on the hills above, and paves asphalt parking lots for the businesses and institutions along First Avenue and Route 36.
Two different towns in one
Down by the water, the borough is flat and compact. Homes near the municipal harbor and the ferry terminal sit on small lots with short drives, some of them shared or tucked beside the house. Up the hill, streets wind along the bluffs and through wooded neighborhoods off Ocean Boulevard and the roads that climb toward Mount Mitchill. Those homes often have longer, sloped driveways, retaining walls and tight turns at the garage.
These two settings need different plans:
- Harbor-side lots: keep the surface high enough to drain, protect foundations on narrow lots, and manage water on low ground.
- Hillside homes: control runoff on the slope, build a firm base that will not creep downhill, and make a clean tie-in where the drive meets a steep street.
Soils and slopes
The hills here are made of sandy and silty layers that erode quickly when water runs over them unchecked. That is why so many older hillside drives are cracked along the lower edge or washed out at the bottom. When we replace one, we excavate to stable ground, compact aggregate base in thin lifts, and grade the finished asphalt to send water where it can be handled. Near the bay the issue flips: groundwater is close to the surface, so base depth and pitch keep the driveway from staying saturated. Our asphalt driveway paving page walks through each of these steps.
Commercial parking
First Avenue’s restaurants and shops, offices along Route 36, marinas, churches and condominium associations all depend on parking that holds up through heavy summer use. We offer asphalt parking lot paving including milling of worn surfaces, base repair and full repaving, sequenced so a business can stay open.
Permits on the hill
Atlantic Highlands has steep-slope conditions and tight lots, so check with the borough’s construction and zoning office before changing a driveway’s width, adding a curb cut, or adding paved area. They can also explain coverage limits. Neighboring Highlands and the Leonardo section of Middletown have their own pages, and our Monmouth County hub lists the rest.
Atlantic Highlands paving questions
Our Atlantic Highlands driveway is steep. Is asphalt a good choice on a hill like this?
Asphalt works well on the borough's hillside drives, as long as the base and drainage are built for the slope. On a steep pitch, water wants to run straight down the center and undercut the bottom edge. We compact the base carefully in layers, shape the surface to guide runoff to the sides or a collection point, and make sure the transition at the street is smooth, not a scraping bump.
We live in the flat blocks near the harbor. Does flooding change how the driveway should be built?
The lower streets close to Sandy Hook Bay sit on sandy soil with a high water table, and heavy storms can push water up into that area. We raise the base where we can, use well-draining aggregate under the asphalt, and pitch the surface so water clears it quickly. We cannot floodproof a property, but a good base recovers much better after a soaking.
