Asphalt Paving in Columbia City, Oregon: 2026 Cost & Service Guide

Asphalt Paving in Columbia City, Oregon

Columbia City sits on the lower Columbia River just north of St. Helens, a small Columbia County community where most paving work falls into two buckets: residential driveways and small commercial lots serving local businesses. The river-bottom ground here drains differently than the higher terraces inland, and that matters more than most homeowners expect when it comes time to pave.

Cojo Excavation & Asphalt works throughout Columbia County from our Willamette Valley base. We pave driveways, private lanes, and small commercial approaches in Columbia City and the surrounding river towns. This guide walks through what affects the cost of a paving job here, how the local soil and climate factor in, and when a permit comes into play.

What Asphalt Paving Costs in Columbia City

Asphalt paving is priced by the square foot, and that price swings based on access, sub-base condition, thickness, and how much site prep the job needs before any hot mix goes down.

Industry baseline ranges shown below. Actual costs vary and may run higher depending on excavation, soil correction, haul distance, and current asphalt and fuel pricing.

Project Type	Industry Baseline per Sq Ft
New residential driveway	$3.00–$7.00
Driveway overlay (resurface)	$2.00–$4.50
Small commercial lot	$3.50–$8.00
Full removal + repave	$4.00–$9.00

These are starting reference points, not quotes. A short, flat driveway over solid ground sits at the low end. A long rural approach that needs grading, a rebuilt rock base, and a culvert correction can land well above the top of the range. For the broader picture, see our Oregon asphalt paving cost guide.

Why the Sub-Base Matters More Here

Asphalt is only as good as what sits under it. In Columbia City, ground near the river holds moisture, and saturated soil under a new mat is the fastest way to ruin a paving job.

A proper installation starts with excavation to the right depth, then a compacted aggregate base, usually crushed rock, graded for drainage. On wetter lots we may recommend a thicker rock section or a geotextile fabric between the soil and the base to keep fines from pumping up into the rock. Skipping that step saves money on day one and costs you a cracked, sunken driveway inside a few years.

The Willamette Valley and lower Columbia region also goes through enough freeze-thaw cycling in winter to open up any weakness in the base. Water gets into a flaw, freezes, expands, and pries the asphalt apart. Good base prep and good drainage are the two things that decide whether your pavement lasts 8 years or 20.

Permits and ODOT Thresholds

Most residential driveway paving in Columbia City does not require a building permit, but there are real exceptions. If your access connects to a state highway rather than a city or county road, ODOT controls that approach and an approach permit is required. New impervious surface above local thresholds can also trigger stormwater review, and any work in a floodplain near the river has its own rules.

We handle these situations regularly. Before we quote a job, we confirm what jurisdiction owns the road you connect to and whether your project crosses a permit threshold, so there are no surprises mid-project.

Residential Driveway Paving

A typical Columbia City driveway project runs like this:

• Site assessment — We look at slope, drainage, existing surface, and soil.
• Excavation and grading — Old material is removed and the sub-grade is shaped to drain.
• Base installation — Crushed aggregate is placed and compacted in lifts.
• Paving — Hot-mix asphalt is laid, typically 2.5 to 3 inches compacted for residential use.
• Compaction — Rolling locks the mat in while it is still hot.
• Edge work — Edges are shaped so they hold up instead of crumbling.

If your existing driveway is structurally sound and only the surface has worn, an overlay may be the smarter spend. We cover that decision in our guide on signs your driveway needs repaving.

Small Commercial Paving

Columbia City's commercial paving needs tend to be modest: a small lot for a local business, a church approach, a shared access drive. These jobs benefit from a slightly thicker mat and a base built for repeated vehicle loads. We sequence the work to keep an active business reachable where we can, paving in halves if a lot has to stay partly open.

How Climate Shapes the Schedule

Paving season in Columbia County runs roughly late spring through early fall. Hot mix needs dry conditions and ground temperatures warm enough for proper compaction. The wet Pacific Northwest winter is not the time to lay new asphalt. Booking in spring for summer work is the reliable way to lock in a slot before the season fills.

Once a new driveway is down, hold off on sealcoating for several months while the asphalt fully cures. After that, a sealcoat every two to three years is one of the cheapest ways to protect the investment.

Getting a Real Number for Your Property

Square-foot ranges are useful for ballpark budgeting, but the only way to know your cost is a site visit. Two driveways of identical size can quote very differently if one needs a foot of soft soil dug out and replaced and the other sits on solid ground.

We serve Columbia City alongside nearby St. Helens and the rest of the county. See our full Columbia County asphalt services page for the surrounding coverage area.