Belford is a bayshore neighborhood in the northern part of Middletown Township, Monmouth County, facing Sandy Hook Bay between Port Monmouth and Leonardo. It has its own ZIP code and a working-waterfront identity, but for permits and planning it belongs to Middletown. Dan The Paver builds asphalt driveways for Belford homeowners and asphalt parking lots for the businesses and organizations along this stretch of the bay.
A fishing harbor and the homes behind it
Belford is known for its commercial fishing fleet, which docks along Compton’s Creek, and for the ferry terminal that carries commuters across the bay to Manhattan. Behind the harbor, the streets fill with modest capes, ranches and raised homes on small to mid-size lots. Driveways are usually short and straight, often single-width, and many have been filled and covered over for years. After Hurricane Sandy, many homes here were elevated, which can change how the driveway meets the house and street.
Low ground, sandy soil
Most of Belford is flat and close to sea level, with marsh along the creek and the bay. The soil is sandy and the water table is high, especially on blocks nearest the shore. A driveway built here without enough base will sink or crack after a few wet winters. We excavate to stable ground, remove any soft or organic layer, build a compacted aggregate base, and set the grade so water drains to the street instead of collecting by the garage. When the base under an old drive has failed, a new asphalt driveway built from the ground up is the most reliable fix.
Commercial lots along Route 36
The Route 36 corridor near Belford has shopping centers, offices, medical buildings and churches, and the harbor area has its own working lots. For those owners, we handle asphalt parking lot paving, including milling, base repair and full repaving.
Permit pointer
Before you widen, extend or move a driveway in Belford, contact Middletown Township’s zoning and construction office about curb cuts and impervious coverage. Next door, Port Monmouth and Leonardo have their own pages, and the Monmouth County hub lists every town we serve.
Belford paving questions
We are in Belford near the bay. Our driveway cracked and sank after the last big storm. Can it be fixed or does it need to be replaced?
It depends on what is underneath. In the low parts of Belford, storm water can saturate the sandy base and wash fine material out from under the asphalt. If only a section sank, we can dig out that area, rebuild the base under it and repave the drive so it finishes as one surface. If the whole drive is settling, a full replacement with a deeper, well-compacted base is the better long-term fix.
Belford is part of Middletown, so which office do I talk to about my driveway?
Middletown Township. Belford has its own name and ZIP code, but it is not a separate municipality, so driveway aprons, curb cuts and lot coverage questions go to Middletown's zoning and construction offices. We plan every Belford job with Middletown's requirements in mind.
