Northeast Story County since 1881

Asphalt Paving in Zearing, IA

A compact railroad town with older driveways and farm drives all around.

Free on-site estimates with a written, itemized price
City of Ames driveway permit and concrete approach rules checked before work
Paving scheduled for warm, dry ground so the mix compacts

Driveway Work in a Compact Railroad Town

Asphalt paving in Zearing is small-scale and personal. Zearing was founded on October 17, 1881, as a water stop on the railroad and incorporated February 6, 1883. It covers about three-quarters of a square mile, all land, at 1,034 feet. The population was 617 in 2000 and 528 in 2020. Most homes are older, and most driveways are short, but they have seen many winters.

What older driveways need

On an older town driveway, we usually see one of three things: a surface that is worn and gray but still flat, cracks that have linked into a web, or a driveway that is mostly patches. The first can be sealed or overlaid. The second and third usually mean the base has failed, and replacement is the better value. We tell you which you have.

Weather

Weatherbase data for Zearing show an average annual precipitation of 33.8 inches and a mean daily minimum of about 36 degrees across the year. Freeze-thaw is the main thing wearing pavement here. Sealing cracks before winter matters more than anything else you can do for an aging driveway.

Farm drives

Acreages and farmsteads around Zearing connect to Story County roads. The county requires a $25 permit for a new or widened entrance and sets a width of 20 to 45 feet. Granular surfacing with a top size up to 3 inches can be placed without permission, but paving the entrance needs the County Engineer's approval. Many owners pave only the area around the house and leave the lane in gravel.

Community events and lots

Zearing Days fills the town on the last weekend in July. Church, community and business lots need to be in good shape for that, so we schedule work earlier in the summer.

Schools

Zearing hosts Colo-NESCO's elementary learning center for kindergarten through fourth grade, while the upper grades are in Colo. School lot work is best done in summer while classes are out.

Small jobs welcome

In a town this size many jobs are small: one driveway, a few cracks, a patch by the garage. Those are worth doing before winter, and we can combine them with other work nearby to keep the cost reasonable.

Get a Free Estimate

Zearing Notes

Railroad water stop. Zearing was founded October 17, 1881, at a site chosen as a railroad water stop, and incorporated February 6, 1883. It covers about 0.75 square miles at 1,034 feet.
Population trend. Zearing's population was 617 in 2000, 554 in 2010 and 528 in 2020.
Gravel versus paving. Story County allows granular surfacing up to a 3-inch top size on an entrance without permission, but paving an entrance requires the County Engineer's permission first.

Our Services in Zearing, IA

Zearing Questions

Is it worth replacing a driveway on an older home?

If the base has failed, yes. Repeated patching costs more over time. If the base is sound, repairs and a sealcoat are the better value.

Can I pave just the area near my house?

Yes. Many rural owners pave the parking area and garage approach and leave the lane in gravel.

When should I schedule before Zearing Days?

Early summer, so the asphalt has time to set and any striping is fresh for the last weekend in July.

Is my job too small?

No. Crack filling, a patch or a sealcoat on a single driveway is worth doing before winter.

Free Estimates in Zearing, IA

Free estimates for Zearing driveways and farm drives.

Call (515) 758-9978 Free Estimate