Asphalt Paving in Gates, Oregon: 2026 Cost & Service Guide

Asphalt Paving in Gates and the North Santiam Corridor

Gates is a small Marion County town in the Santiam Canyon, sitting along the North Santiam River where Highway 22 threads between forested ridges. Like its neighbors up and down the canyon, Gates deals with real winters, freeze-thaw cycles, and heavy seasonal rain, and it was hard hit by the 2020 Beachie Creek Fire. Rebuild work has driven steady demand for new driveways, access roads, and paved pads ever since. Paving here is not a flat valley job; it has to account for grade, water, and a climate that punishes anything built on a weak base.

Cojo Excavation & Asphalt paves for Gates and the surrounding canyon from our Willamette Valley base, a short run up Highway 22. We build to a spec that survives canyon winters rather than valley-floor shortcuts that crack the first hard season.

Why Canyon Paving Is Different

Asphalt that lasts in Gates is built from the base up. Three local factors shape every job.

• Freeze-thaw cycling — Water in the base freezes, expands, and lifts the asphalt, opening cracks that widen each winter. The defense is a free-draining, well-compacted aggregate base and good surface drainage, not just a thicker mat.
• Slope and drainage — Many canyon driveways climb a grade above the river. Water has to be shed off the pavement deliberately, or it undermines the base and washes material out.
• Heavy rain and forest debris — The North Santiam corridor stays wet for months. Standing water and organic buildup both shorten pavement life, so edge drainage and a clean pitch matter more here than on the valley floor.

The full process and cost drivers are in our asphalt paving cost in Oregon guide.

Industry Baseline Pricing for Asphalt Paving

We will not quote a firm price without seeing the site, and you should be wary of any contractor who does. What we can give you is the industry baseline ranges the national market reports, with the clear caveat that canyon projects with sub-base, drainage, or haul demands frequently run above them.

Industry baseline ranges. Actual cost depends on thickness, sub-base, access, grade, and haul distance to Gates.

Scope	Industry Baseline Range
New asphalt driveway	$4–$8 per square foot
Asphalt overlay (resurface)	$2–$5 per square foot
Small commercial lot paving	$3–$7 per square foot
Full removal and replacement	$5–$10 per square foot
Aggregate base prep	$1–$3 per square foot

Gates is a haul from the nearest asphalt plant, so material transport and mobilization factor into every quote. Pairing the paving with any needed excavation and site prep in a single mobilization is the most economical way to do it.

Wildfire Rebuild Paving

A large share of canyon paving since 2020 ties back to rebuilding after Beachie Creek. A cleared lot often needs a new driveway approach, a fresh access road, or a paved pad once the structure is back up. These jobs start with excavation, grading, and base work before any asphalt is laid, which is why we handle the full sequence together. If you are rebuilding in Gates, getting the access and drainage right the first time saves a costly redo down the road.

Driveway and Small-Commercial Work

Most Gates paving is residential driveways and small-commercial lots. Driveways are about durability, drainage, and a clean edge that handles freeze-thaw. Commercial work, such as a shop lot or a few spaces in front of a business, adds traffic load and often striping once the surface is down.

For either, the foundation determines lifespan. A thin mat over poor base fails fast in canyon conditions. We build the base to handle the water and the freeze, then lay asphalt to match the load. If your existing driveway is breaking up, our signs your driveway needs repaving guide helps you tell repair from replacement, and our driveway repair in Gates page covers the middle-ground options.

Permits and the Highway 22 Right-of-Way

Highway 22 is a state route, so work touching its right-of-way, like a new driveway approach onto the highway, can require an ODOT access permit. Marion County thresholds apply for larger site work. We know the local permitting picture and fold it into the project plan so you are not navigating it alone.

Why Gates Property Owners Choose Cojo

Crews that regularly work the Santiam Canyon are limited, and not all build for canyon conditions. We bring valley-grade equipment and an honest assessment: if your base needs more work to survive freeze-thaw, we say so, because cutting that corner is how a driveway fails in two winters instead of lasting twenty years. The run up Highway 22 from our base is routine.

See our completed paving and site work on the portfolio page. For nearby valley pricing context, our asphalt paving in Salem guide covers the closest major market we serve.