Toms River is the county seat of Ocean County and the southern edge of the area we serve, a big township that runs from the Pine Barrens to the bay and across to the barrier island. Dan The Paver installs and replaces asphalt driveways across its many sections, and we pave and repave asphalt parking lots for its shopping centers, offices and associations.
A township of many neighborhoods
Toms River, formerly called Dover Township, is made up of distinct sections that each feel like their own town. North Dover, on the Lakewood and Brick side of the Parkway, is full of postwar and later subdivisions with split-levels, colonials and attached garages. Silverton and the bayfront neighborhoods to the east have boating families, lagoons and homes on modest lots. Gilford Park and Pleasant Plains mix older cottages with newer construction. Ortley Beach, on the barrier island, has small lots, narrow streets and many homes that were raised or rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy.
Downtown, near the river and Washington Street, you find older homes on smaller lots with short drives that often share a property line with the neighbor. Out toward Route 37 West and the Manchester border, the lots open up, with longer driveways cutting through pitch pines and oaks.
That variety means a Toms River driveway can be a forty-foot single-car run or a wide multi-car layout with a turnaround. We size the base, grading and asphalt to match.
The ground under Toms River
Nearly all of Toms River sits on the sandy coastal plain. Inland, toward the Pinelands, the sand is deep and drains fast. That is helpful for drainage, but loose sand gives poor support unless it is compacted and topped with a solid layer of aggregate. Roots from the native pines and oaks are another common cause of cracking, so we cut them back during excavation.
Along the Toms River, its creeks and Barnegat Bay, the water table rises, and some waterfront lots were built on dredged or mixed fill. On those properties we:
- dig out soft or organic material
- build a thicker compacted base
- grade carefully so water moves to the street or a lawn area
- avoid low spots where salt water or rain would sit after a storm
Older drives that have already settled can sometimes be restored with milling and repaving if the base is still sound. When it is not, a full replacement is the better value.
Lots along Route 37, Hooper Avenue and Route 9
Toms River is a commercial hub for the county. Route 37, Hooper Avenue (home to the Ocean County Mall), Route 9 and Route 166 are lined with plazas, restaurants, medical offices, banks and car dealers. The county and municipal complex downtown brings in steady daily traffic too. Lots like these wear fastest at entrances, drive-thru lanes and dumpster pads. We mill and repave worn areas, rebuild failed base sections, and keep the slope working toward existing inlets so the lot drains after a summer storm.
Permit pointer
For new aprons, curb cuts or an expanded driveway footprint, check with the Toms River Township construction or zoning office before work begins. Barrier-island and waterfront lots may have additional coverage limits.
Our crews also work in Brick and Manchester, and the full town list is on our Ocean County paving page.
Toms River paving questions
Is Toms River really inside your service area? I thought you mostly worked in Monmouth County.
It is. Our Ocean County coverage runs from Toms River north, so every section of the township, from North Dover and Silverton to Gilford Park, Pleasant Plains and Ortley Beach, is in range. Towns south of Toms River are outside our area, but anything within the township itself is a normal job for us.
My house in Ortley Beach was raised after Sandy. The old driveway now slopes hard toward the street. What can you do?
Raised homes often leave a short, steep drive or a parking area under the house. We regrade the approach so it meets the garage or pad cleanly, build a firm base in the sandy fill, and pitch the surface so rain drains toward the street. On very tight barrier-island lots we plan the layout around stairs, utilities and the side setbacks.
Our association in Silverton has a private road and visitor parking. Do you work with HOA boards?
Yes. Many Toms River neighborhoods along the bay have associations that maintain their own roads and lots. We walk the property with the board or manager, mark the areas that need base repair, and schedule milling and repaving in sections so residents can still get in and out.
Do driveways near the Toms River itself need anything special?
Lots along the river and its creeks, such as those near Huddy Park and the waterfront streets downtown, can have a high water table and softer ground. We may excavate deeper, add more compacted base and pay extra attention to grading. We check the conditions on site before quoting.
