Permeable pavement for a wet city
Porous Asphalt Paving in New Orleans, LA
Pavement that soaks up the first inch of a storm instead of sending it to the street.
- Free on-site estimates
- Written scope: base, thickness and drainage spelled out
- Permit questions answered before work is scheduled
Pavement That Lets Water Through
Porous asphalt paving uses an open-graded asphalt mix with the fine particles left out, so water drains straight through the surface into a deep bed of clean crushed stone below. That stone bed holds the water and lets it soak into the ground or drain away slowly. In a city that gets more than 60 inches of rain a year and asks larger sites to hold back the first 1.25 inches of every storm, porous paving is a useful tool.
Where it fits
- Parking stalls and low-speed areas on commercial sites
- Projects that need to meet New Orleans stormwater management requirements
- Residential parking pads where a homeowner wants less runoff
- Areas next to trees, where water and air reach the roots
Where it does not
Porous pavement is not for every spot. Drive lanes with heavy turning trucks, areas that get a lot of sediment washing onto them, and places where the water table sits right below the surface can clog or fail. Many projects use standard asphalt in the drive lanes and porous asphalt in the stalls. We look at the site with your engineer and talk through where it makes sense.
How it is built
The surface mix is only part of it. Below it sits a choker course and a deep reservoir of washed, open-graded stone, often wrapped in geotextile fabric. The depth of that reservoir is set by how much water it has to hold. Getting the stone clean and the layers right is what makes the system work.
The rules behind it
New Orleans requires a stormwater management plan for new development or redevelopment with 5,000 square feet or more of impervious surface, or an acre or more of site, except for residential properties with fewer than six units. The plan has to retain or detain and filter the first 1.25 inches of runoff. Porous pavement is one way to do that, alongside bioswales and detention.
Upkeep
Porous asphalt needs vacuum sweeping a couple of times a year to keep the pores open, and it should never be sealcoated, because sealer would close the surface. Sand and mulch should be kept off it. With that care, it keeps draining.
What's Included
A porous system includes the surface mix and the stone reservoir that stores water.
Open-graded asphalt
A surface mix with voids that let water pass straight through.
Stone reservoir
Deep bed of washed stone sized to hold design storm volume.
Fabric and choker course
Layers that separate soil and stone and support the surface.
Hybrid layouts
Standard asphalt in drive lanes, porous in stalls.
Typical Porous Asphalt Costs
| Item | National range |
|---|---|
| Porous/permeable asphalt driveway (HomeGuide) | $7 to $15 per sq ft |
| Standard hot-mix driveway, for comparison (HomeGuide) | $5 to $12+ per sq ft |
| Standard asphalt lot, for comparison (HomeAdvisor) | $2 to $4.50 per sq ft |
National figures from HomeGuide and HomeAdvisor; porous lot costs depend mostly on reservoir depth. New Orleans jobs often need extra base work on soft ground, plus permit and apron costs, so local prices can run differently. The number on your written estimate is what you pay.
Step by Step
1. Review
Look at the site, soils, water table and the engineer's stormwater plan.
2. Design check
Confirm reservoir depth, fabric and where porous sections go.
3. Build
Excavate, place fabric and clean stone, then porous surface.
4. Hand off
Maintenance plan: vacuum sweeping, no sealcoat, keep sediment off.
Porous Asphalt Paving Questions
Does porous asphalt work in New Orleans soils?
It can, but clay and a high water table mean the stone reservoir does most of the work, holding water while it drains away slowly. Site conditions decide the design, so we work from your engineer's plan.
Can I sealcoat porous asphalt?
No. Sealer would close the pores. Vacuum sweeping is the maintenance.
Is porous asphalt required?
Not by itself. Larger projects must manage the first 1.25 inches of runoff, and porous pavement is one way to do it.
Can I use it on my driveway?
Yes, for a parking pad or driveway, though it costs more than standard asphalt. HomeGuide puts permeable asphalt at about $7 to $15 per square foot.
How long does porous asphalt last?
With vacuum sweeping and no sealcoat, it can last as long as standard asphalt. Clogging from sediment is the main risk, so keeping sand and mulch off it matters.
Porous Asphalt Paving Service Areas
- Asphalt Paving in New Orleans, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Metairie, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Kenner, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Gretna, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Harahan, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Chalmette, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Slidell, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Marrero, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Harvey, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Westwego, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Terrytown, LA
- Asphalt Paving in River Ridge, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Jefferson, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Belle Chasse, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Arabi, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Mandeville, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Covington, LA
- Asphalt Paving in LaPlace, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Luling, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Destrehan, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Meraux, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Estelle, LA
- Asphalt Paving in Abita Springs, LA
- Asphalt Paving in St. Rose, LA
Get a Porous Asphalt Paving Estimate
Free consultations on porous paving across New Orleans.