The pandemic changed more than just the world, it changed the way we conduct our lives—from working remotely, to ordering delivery and shopping online. And with online shopping, come delivery trucks—huge, loud and constantly shuttling back and forth. This heavy traffic negatively impacts our roads and parking lots on a daily basis.

Sun, water and weight are the most common enemies of asphalt. Residential roadways and commercial parking lots were not designed for the constant deliveries currently roaring around our communities. Unfortunately, it is not unusual to spot even freight trucks outside the designated delivery routes built specifically for heavy-duty traffic.

The recent onslaught of delivery trucks is adversely affecting residential neighborhoods, HOAs, condo associations, multi-family apartment complexes and commercial parking lots, all of them built and maintained for personal vehicles—not multi-ton trucks loaded with packages. Engineers estimate that a truck weighing the interstate maximum of 80,000 pounds (fully loaded) does damage to a highway equivalent to 5,000 passenger cars. It follows that those same trucks cause even more damage to surfaces maintained with much lighter traffic in mind.

You can increase the life of your pavement by developing a maintenance and repair strategy, beginning with yearly inspections. Asphalt is a flexible surface that becomes brittle through sun oxidation. A quality sealcoat provides much-needed protection to the asphalt and restores lost flexibility to your pavement. Sealing your asphalt every 3-5 years will minimize cracking while heavier vehicles continue to drive over it. Asphalt repair depths should be 4-6” and proper compaction of the subgrade is very important to ensure durable, long-lasting asphalt paving.

Online shopping and the inevitable delivery trucks show no sign of slowing down, so stop the wear and tear before it stops you.