Pavement, ADA & Paving Bid Glossary
Definitions property managers can actually use when reading contractor bids, discussing reserve budgets, or documenting ADA risk.
Pavement Structure
Aggregate Base
The compacted rock layer under asphalt or concrete. If the base is weak, wet, or thin, the surface can fail even when the top layer looks newly installed.
Alligator Cracking
Interconnected cracking that looks like a reptile pattern. It usually signals structural failure below the surface and should be evaluated before an overlay.
Asphalt Concrete
A mix of aggregate and asphalt binder used for flexible pavement. It is common in parking lots because it installs quickly and can be repaired in sections.
Binder
The petroleum-based material that holds asphalt aggregate together. Binder aging and oxidation are two reasons older asphalt becomes brittle.
Concrete Panel
A distinct slab section in concrete pavement. Panel movement, cracking, and faulting can create ADA route issues or trip hazards.
Crowning
A raised centerline that helps water drain toward edges. Poor crowning can create ponding, which accelerates pavement deterioration.
Full-Depth Reclamation
A rehabilitation method that pulverizes existing pavement and base, then stabilizes and recompacts it. It can be useful when widespread base failure makes surface repair ineffective.
Subgrade
The native soil below the pavement section. Clay, moisture, poor compaction, or movement in the subgrade can shorten pavement life dramatically.
Maintenance & Repair
Crack Fill
Material placed in cracks to reduce water intrusion. It is preventive maintenance, not a structural fix for failed base areas.
Fog Seal
A light asphalt emulsion treatment used to rejuvenate and darken oxidized pavement. It is thinner than sealcoat and not a substitute for repair.
Milling
Grinding off a controlled depth of existing asphalt before placing new material. Milling helps preserve elevations around curbs, drains, and accessible routes.
Overlay
A new asphalt layer placed over existing pavement. Use the overlay vs. repave guide before approving one on cracked or poorly drained lots.
Patching
Localized repair of failed pavement. Patches should identify depth, base repair, compaction, and edge treatment to be comparable across bids.
Pothole
A localized pavement failure where traffic and water have removed material. Repeated potholes often point to drainage or base problems.
Sealcoat
A protective coating applied to asphalt to slow oxidation and improve appearance. Use the Sealcoat Timing Calculator to avoid sealing pavement that needs repair first.
Striping
Painted pavement markings for stalls, fire lanes, directional arrows, accessible spaces, and access aisles. Striping errors can create ADA exposure.
ADA & Access
Accessible Route
The compliant path from accessible parking to the facility entrance. It must account for slope, width, surface condition, ramps, and level changes.
Access Aisle
The striped area next to an accessible stall that provides space for wheelchair users to enter and exit vehicles. Width, slope, and markings matter.
Cross Slope
The slope measured across the direction of travel. Small misses in accessible stalls or routes can create technical ADA violations.
Curb Ramp
A ramp connecting parking or sidewalk surfaces across a curb. Slope, landing, detectable warnings, transitions, and alignment all matter.
Detectable Warning
Truncated-dome surface used to alert visually impaired pedestrians at certain transitions. Missing or misplaced warning surfaces can become a compliance issue.
Running Slope
The slope in the direction of travel. It is different from cross slope and must be checked separately on accessible routes.
Unruh Civil Rights Act
California law that can add statutory damages to ADA claims. Read the ADA parking requirements guide for practical risk context.
Van-Accessible Stall
An accessible parking space with van signage and required access aisle conditions. It is one of the first items serial ADA reviewers look for.
Bids & Scope
Allowance
A placeholder amount for work that may vary, such as base repair. Allowances are useful only when unit prices and triggers are clear.
Base Repair
Removal and reconstruction of failed pavement and base. A bid without base repair quantities may look cheap because the real failure is excluded.
Change Order
A cost or scope change after contract approval. Unclear paving scopes often create avoidable change orders during construction.
Mobilization
The cost to move crew, equipment, traffic-control materials, and setup to the site. It should be visible enough to compare across bids.
Scope Gap
A missing or vague work item that makes one bid less complete than another. The Three-Bid Decoder helps identify them.
Tack Coat
A bonding layer applied before new asphalt is placed over existing asphalt. Missing tack coat language can affect overlay performance.
Unit Price
A price per square foot, linear foot, ton, or each. Unit pricing helps compare variable work like patching, striping, and concrete repair.
Warranty
The contractor's commitment after installation. Warranty value depends on duration, exclusions, structural coverage, and whether maintenance obligations void it.
Budget & Reserves
Capital Expense
A major improvement or replacement cost that is usually budgeted separately from routine maintenance. Repaves, overlays, and large concrete replacements often fall here.
Cost Per Useful Year
Total project cost divided by expected service life. It often reveals when the lowest bid is not actually the best financial decision.
Deferred Maintenance
Needed work postponed into the future. Deferral can preserve cash now but increase future cost, risk, and owner frustration.
Lifecycle Cost
The total cost of installation, maintenance, repair, and replacement over a period of ownership. Use the Material Picker for material lifecycle tradeoffs.
NOI Impact
The effect a cost or deferral has on net operating income and asset value. The NOI Impact Calculator translates pavement choices into valuation language.
Reserve Contribution
The recurring amount set aside for future capital work. HOA and community managers can model it with the HOA Reserve Estimator.
Special Assessment
A one-time charge to owners or members when reserves are insufficient. Better pavement forecasting reduces surprise assessments.
Useful Life
The expected period before a pavement section needs major rehabilitation or replacement. It depends on design, drainage, traffic, climate, maintenance, and base condition.