How much does asphalt paving cost in Lostine, Oregon?

It depends on square footage, asphalt depth, sub-base prep, and access. For Lostine, haul distance from the nearest plant is a major factor because the town sits in remote, high northeast Oregon. The accurate number comes from a site visit. See our [asphalt paving cost in Oregon](/blog/asphalt-paving-cost-oregon) guide for baseline ranges.

Do I need a permit to pave a driveway in Lostine?

A standard residential repave usually does not, but a new or modified approach onto Highway 82 requires an ODOT access permit, and larger commercial work or significant grading may need county review. Call 811 before any excavation.

When can asphalt be paved in Lostine?

Late spring through early fall. Asphalt needs warm, dry conditions to lay and compact, and Lostine's long, cold alpine winters make the paving season short. Booking early improves both weather odds and scheduling.

Why does the sub-base matter so much here?

Freeze-thaw. A compacted, free-draining gravel base keeps water from under the pavement, which prevents frost from lifting and cracking the surface. At Lostine's elevation the base is what decides whether asphalt lasts five years or twenty.

Does Cojo travel to Lostine for paving?

Yes. We serve the upper Wallowa Valley as a regional contractor from our Willamette Valley base. We are upfront that haul distance factors into the price, and we recommend bundling work into one trip to lower cost per square foot.

Asphalt

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

Cojo

May 29, 2026

7 min read

Asphalt Paving in Lostine, Oregon

Lostine is a small town on Highway 82 in the upper Wallowa Valley, set along the Lostine River with the Wallowa Mountains and the Lostine River Canyon rising to the south toward the Eagle Cap Wilderness. It is high, cold, and remote, a community of ranches, small acreages, and a handful of businesses. Paving an asphalt driveway or small lot here is a different job than paving in the valley, and the difference is mostly about the base and the climate.

Cojo Excavation & Asphalt serves Lostine as a regional contractor working from the Willamette Valley. We will be straight about the haul distance, because it is the biggest single factor that makes a Lostine quote different from a valley quote.

What Makes Asphalt Last Here

A driveway that holds up in Lostine comes down to what is underneath the asphalt as much as the surface itself:

Sub-base preparation — A compacted, free-draining gravel base is the foundation. In hard freeze-thaw country it determines whether the pavement lasts. A weak base cracks the surface from below within a few winters.

Grading and drainage — Pavement has to shed water away from itself and from structures so snowmelt does not pond and seep into the base.

Correct asphalt depth — Driveways and light commercial lots have a sensible depth range. Too thin cracks under load; too thick wastes money.

Proper compaction — Hot asphalt rolled and compacted while workable is what gives the surface its strength and life.

For how these turn into real numbers, see our asphalt paving cost in Oregon guide, which uses industry baseline ranges rather than fixed prices.

Sub-Base and Freeze-Thaw in the Upper Valley

The ground around Lostine is a mix of river deposits along the Lostine River and rockier, glacially influenced soils as you climb toward the canyon. Rock is common, and drainage varies from parcel to parcel. A good paving plan starts by knowing what your site does with water.

Freeze-thaw defines the rest. At this elevation the winters are long and cold, the ground freezes deep, and the shoulder seasons cycle the surface through repeated freeze and thaw. Each cycle that finds water in the base lifts and loosens the pavement. Asphalt on a properly compacted, free-draining base handles this for years. Asphalt laid on a wet, poorly compacted base in Lostine's climate fails early. This is why a contractor who knows alpine paving spends real effort on the base.

Permits and ODOT Thresholds

Most residential driveway paving in Lostine does not need a state permit, but be aware of these:

ODOT access permits — A new or modified approach onto Highway 82 requires an ODOT access permit. Connections to the state highway are regulated everywhere.

County review — Wallowa County may require review for larger commercial paving or work involving significant grading.

Stormwater and water proximity — Sites near the Lostine River can trigger stormwater or setback requirements.

811 locate — If paving involves excavation or base regrading, call 811 first.

We help you understand what applies, but the permit is the property owner's responsibility, and we will not pave a state-highway approach that needs an ODOT permit it does not have.

What Paving Costs in Lostine

Paving price comes from square footage, asphalt depth, sub-base work, site access, and material cost. Our asphalt paving cost in Oregon guide gives the baseline ranges.

For Lostine, haul distance dominates. Hot-mix asphalt has to stay hot from the plant to the job, and the nearest plants are a long haul from the upper Wallowa Valley. Trucking material that far, plus mobilizing the paver, rollers, and crew to far northeast Oregon, adds cost that does not exist on a valley job. A contractor quoting Lostine at valley rates has not accounted for the haul, and that gap usually returns as a change order or a cut corner. We price it honestly up front.

The practical move is to bundle and plan. Because getting a paving crew to Lostine is the expensive part, combining your driveway with other paving nearby, or pairing it with driveway repair in Lostine and base prep in one mobilization, spreads the cost across more square footage. After the new asphalt cures, protecting it with driveway sealcoating in Lostine extends its life in this hard climate.

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