Asphalt
Driveway Repair in Gervais, Oregon: Crack, Pothole & Resurfacing
Cojo
May 29, 2026
7 min read
A cracked driveway in Gervais does not always mean tear-out. The money question is matching the repair to the actual damage, because the gap between a few hundred dollars of crack sealing and several thousand for replacement comes down to what is happening under the surface. This guide walks the crack-fill, patch, resurface, and replace decision for Gervais driveways, with the French Prairie freeze-thaw and clay-soil context that drives the failures here.
Gervais sits on the French Prairie north of Salem, on deep clay and silt loam that holds water. When that saturated ground freezes and thaws through winter, it heaves and settles, and any driveway on a thin or aging base feels it. Water is the common thread. It works into a hairline crack, freezes, widens it, gets into the base, and the cycle accelerates. Reading your own driveway for that pattern lets you catch problems while they are still cheap. The driveway cracking repair options guide goes deeper on crack types.
The right call when cracks are narrow (under about half an inch), the surface is otherwise sound, and the base is stable. Crack sealing is cheap, fast, and the single most valuable maintenance habit for Gervais driveways. A crack handled in its first year runs about a dollar per linear foot. Left through one freeze cycle, it stops being a crack-fill job.
The right call for isolated potholes or small failed areas where the surrounding pavement is still good. A patch fixes a localized problem without redoing the whole surface. But patching the same spots every year means the base is the real issue.
The right call when the surface is worn or cracked across a wide area but the base underneath is still sound. An overlay puts a fresh asphalt layer over the existing surface. It costs meaningfully less than replacement, but only works on a solid base. Overlay a failing base and the cracks come back through within a season or two.
The right call when you see widespread alligator cracking, the driveway has sunk or heaved in multiple spots, or the base has failed. Alligator cracking — the interconnected reptile-skin pattern — is the clearest sign the base is gone, and no surface treatment fixes a base problem. Tear-out and rebuild is the durable answer. The signs your driveway needs repaving guide spells out the warning signs.
Industry baseline ranges shown below. Actual costs vary and may be significantly higher based on damage extent, access, and what the contractor finds once work begins.
| Repair Type | Industry Baseline Range | When It Applies |
|---|---|---|
| Crack filling | $0.50–$3.00 per linear foot | Narrow cracks, sound base |
| Pothole / spot patch | $100–$500 per patch | Isolated failures |
| Resurfacing (overlay) | $1.50–$4.00 per sq ft | Worn surface, sound base |
| Full replacement | $3.00–$12.00+ per sq ft | Failed base, widespread cracking |
Material and labor costs have run above their pre-2022 baselines through 2025 and 2026, nudging real repair quotes upward. The bigger swing factor is hidden damage. A driveway that looks like a resurfacing candidate sometimes reveals a failed base once the crew opens it up, which moves the job toward replacement. That is why an honest contractor evaluates the base before quoting an overlay.
The deep, water-holding clay of the French Prairie heaves more readily than well-draining soils, which makes repair timing matter in Gervais. A crack sealed in the fall is protected through the winter freeze cycle. The same crack left open lets water in, freezes, and expands, doing in one winter what would otherwise take years. The cheapest driveway repair in Gervais is almost always the one done early.
If a driveway is getting crack-filled or resurfaced, it is often the right time to sealcoat. Sealcoat protects against water and UV and slows the next round of cracking, on a sealcoating in Marion County cadence of every two to three years. For a driveway near the end of its life, though, sealcoat is not a rescue. If the base is failing, put the money toward replacement.
There is a point where repairs are throwing good money after bad. If you are patching every year, if alligator cracking covers more than a quarter of the surface, or if the driveway has multiple heaved and sunk sections, replacement is cheaper over any reasonable horizon. The asphalt paving in Gervais guide covers what a full replacement involves, and the neighboring driveway repair in Woodburn guide covers comparable French Prairie conditions.
The right repair depends on the actual condition of your driveway and its base, which a contractor can only judge in person. Cojo Excavation & Asphalt provides free, no-obligation repair estimates across Gervais and Marion County, fully Oregon CCB licensed and insured. Request a free quote and we will assess the surface and the base, then recommend the fix that actually solves the problem.
View our completed driveway work and learn more about our professional driveway repair services.
Get accurate 2026 asphalt paving costs for Oregon driveways, parking lots, and roads. Per-square-foot pricing, cost factors, and money-saving tips.
Compare asphalt and concrete driveways side by side: cost, durability, maintenance, appearance, and climate performance for Oregon homes.
A practical guide to sealcoating apartment and condo parking lots. Covers phased scheduling, tenant communication, cost allocation, liability, and ROI for property value.
Have a question about this topic? We'll respond within 24 hours.