Maintaining a busy university parking lot requires careful planning, professional equipment, and an experienced crew. Eckles Paving recently completed a 220,000-square-foot asphalt maintenance project at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
The project included crack sealing, sealcoating, and complete parking lot restriping. Our crews refreshed the parking stalls, accessible parking spaces, and stop bars to create a cleaner, more organized surface for students, faculty, employees, and campus visitors.
This large Utah County project demonstrates how preventive asphalt maintenance services can improve the appearance, safety, and performance of a heavily used parking area.
Sealcoat and parking lot striping project at Utah Valley University.
Before: Cracked, Crumbling, and Faded Asphalt
Before maintenance began, the asphalt showed visible signs of age and exposure. Cracks had developed across the parking lot, portions of the surface were beginning to crumble, and the pavement had faded from a rich black color to gray.
These changes are common in older Utah parking lots. Intense sunlight gradually oxidizes asphalt, while moisture and repeated freeze-thaw cycles can cause existing cracks to expand. Heavy daily traffic places additional stress on areas used by thousands of vehicles throughout the school year.
The faded pavement also made the existing parking lot markings less noticeable. Refreshing both the asphalt surface and the striping would give the entire parking area a more consistent and professional appearance.
Cracked asphalt and faded markings at Utah Valley University.
Evaluating the 220,000-Square-Foot Parking Area
Before starting a large parking lot maintenance project, the pavement must be evaluated. Crack sealing and sealcoating are designed for asphalt that can still benefit from preventive maintenance. Severely failed areas may require patching or more extensive asphalt repair.
Here were the three stages of this project:
- Sealing cracks throughout the asphalt
- Applying a protective sealcoat across the parking area
- Restriping parking stalls, accessible spaces, and stop bars
Step 1: Sealing Cracks in the Asphalt
The first major step was treating cracks throughout the parking lot. Cracks create openings where rain, snowmelt, and other moisture can enter the pavement system. Once water reaches the supporting materials beneath the asphalt, it may contribute to movement, erosion, and additional surface damage.
Utah’s freeze-thaw cycles make early crack treatment especially important. Water inside a crack can freeze, expand, and place pressure on the surrounding asphalt. Repeated cycles can cause cracks to widen and allow the damage to spread.
Professional asphalt crack sealing fills suitable cracks with a flexible material designed to limit water infiltration and help slow further deterioration.
Step 2: Applying a Fresh Sealcoat
Our crew applied a fresh protective sealcoat next. The new coating transformed the faded gray surface into a clean, dark finish and created a consistent background for the new pavement markings.
Asphalt sealcoating helps protect suitable pavement from oxidation, UV exposure, moisture, and everyday surface wear. It also extends the life of asphalt when it is applied at the appropriate time and combined with regular crack repair.
Sealcoat does not rebuild a failed base or repair major structural damage. Instead, it serves as a preventive maintenance treatment for pavement that is still in maintainable condition.
Fresh sealcoat transforms faded asphalt into a clean, dark surface.
Step 3: Restriping the Entire Parking Lot
Once the sealcoat had cured sufficiently, the final stage was restriping the entire parking area. Bright, clearly defined markings are especially important on a large campus, where drivers and pedestrians must navigate rows of parking, intersections, entrances, and pedestrian areas.
The new parking lot striping included:
- Standard parking stalls
- Accessible parking spaces and access aisles
- Stop bars at designated traffic-control points
The fresh markings improved visibility and helped create a more organized traffic pattern throughout the lot. The bright striping also provided a strong contrast against the newly sealcoated asphalt.
Accessible parking layouts are planned according to the requirements that apply to the specific property. Property owners and facility managers can review current federal accessibility information through ADA.gov’s accessible parking guidance.
Accessible parking markings at Utah Valley University.
Why Parking Lot Maintenance Matters for Schools
School and university parking lots serve students, employees, visitors, delivery vehicles, buses, emergency responders, and maintenance crews. Because so many people use these areas, clear pavement markings and well-maintained driving surfaces play an important role in campus safety and organization.
Regular maintenance can help schools:
- Make parking stalls and traffic-control markings easier to see
- Clearly identify accessible parking areas
- Improve organization in high-traffic parking lots
- Limit water infiltration through pavement cracks
- Address surface deterioration before it becomes more extensive
- Create a cleaner and more welcoming campus appearance
Maintenance needs vary depending on pavement age, traffic volume, drainage, snow removal, sun exposure, and previous repairs. Routine inspections help facility managers identify developing problems and plan maintenance before the damage spreads.
Why Summer Is a Great Time for School Parking Lot Maintenance
Summer can be an ideal time for asphalt maintenance at schools, colleges, and universities. With fewer students on campus and reduced demand for parking, larger sections of pavement can often be closed with less disruption.
Scheduling during a school break may provide several advantages:
- Less interference with student and faculty parking
- Fewer vehicles and pedestrians around the work area
- More flexibility for completing the project in phases
- Time for sealcoat and pavement markings to cure before regular traffic returns
- An opportunity to refresh the property before the new school year
Temperature, precipitation, pavement condition, and product requirements can all affect scheduling and curing times.
The Completed Utah Valley University Parking Lot
After crack sealing, sealcoating, and restriping were completed, the 220,000-square-foot parking area had a cleaner, darker, and more uniform appearance. Fresh parking stalls, accessible spaces, and stop bars stood out clearly against the renewed asphalt surface.
Completing all three services as one coordinated project allowed the underlying cracks, protective surface treatment, and traffic markings to be addressed together. The result was a refreshed university parking lot prepared for continued use by the UVU community.
Planning Asphalt Maintenance for a School or University
Large educational properties require additional planning because they often contain multiple buildings, entrances, parking areas, pedestrian routes, and service access points.
Clear communication between the paving contractor and the school’s facilities team helps keep a large project organized from the initial pavement evaluation through reopening.
A fresh STOP marking and stop bar at Utah Valley University.
When Does a Parking Lot Need Crack Sealing and Sealcoating?
Crack sealing and sealcoating may be appropriate when the asphalt is fading and developing cracks but remains structurally stable enough for preventive maintenance. Warning signs that a parking lot should be evaluated include:
- Asphalt fading from black to gray
- New or widening pavement cracks
- Minor surface wear or loose aggregate
- Faded parking stalls and traffic markings
- Water entering open cracks
- Previous sealcoat wearing away
Deep potholes, widespread alligator cracking, sinking pavement, soft spots, or repeated failure in the same location may indicate a more serious problem. These areas require asphalt patching or pothole repair.
Learn more about maintenance timing in our guide explaining how often asphalt should be sealcoated in Utah.
Why Choose Eckles Paving?
Eckles Paving has more than 35 years of experience completing asphalt paving and pavement maintenance projects throughout Utah. Our crews have the equipment and experience needed to coordinate large commercial, municipal, and educational projects—including extensive campus parking areas like the 220,000-square-foot lot at Utah Valley University.
As a licensed and insured Utah asphalt contractor, Eckles Paving provides crack sealing, sealcoating, striping, asphalt repair, paving, grading, drainage improvements, milling, and concrete services.
Our team focuses on dependable communication, careful project coordination, and professional results. Eckles Paving has earned more than 1,300 five-star reviews and maintains a 5.0 Google rating.
Asphalt Maintenance in Orem and Utah County
Eckles Paving serves schools, universities, commercial properties, HOAs, churches, municipalities, industrial facilities, and other properties throughout Orem and surrounding Utah County communities.
Our service area includes Provo, Vineyard, Lindon, Pleasant Grove, American Fork, Lehi, Springville, Spanish Fork, Mapleton, and other communities throughout Utah asphalt service areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
How large was the Utah Valley University parking lot project?
The asphalt maintenance project covered approximately 220,000 square feet of parking area at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
What work did Eckles Paving complete at UVU?
Eckles Paving sealed cracks, applied a fresh sealcoat, and restriped the parking lot. The new markings included parking stalls, accessible spaces, and stop bars.
Why should cracks be sealed before sealcoating?
Crack sealing treats suitable openings in the pavement and limits water infiltration. Sealcoat protects and refresh the asphalt.
Why is summer a good time for school parking lot maintenance?
Schools generally have fewer students, vehicles, and scheduled activities during summer. This can make it easier to close parking areas and complete maintenance with less disruption.
Does sealcoating repair crumbling or structurally failed asphalt?
No. Sealcoating is a preventive surface treatment. Severely crumbling, sinking, or structurally failed areas may require patching, base repair, or asphalt replacement first.
How often should a school parking lot be inspected?
Parking lots should be inspected regularly and after severe winter weather. Schools should watch for cracks, potholes, standing water, surface deterioration, snowplow damage, and faded markings.
Are large university parking lots completed in phases?
Yes. Large parking lots are divided into phases to preserve limited access, but the closure plan, curing time, pedestrian routes, and traffic flow are coordinated before work begins.
Request a Free Parking Lot Maintenance Estimate
Whether your property needs crack sealing, sealcoating, restriping, asphalt repair, or a complete pavement evaluation, Eckles Paving can recommend services based on its current condition and expected use.
Request a free estimate from Eckles Paving for school, university, commercial, or municipal asphalt maintenance in Orem or elsewhere in Utah.
Fresh sealcoat and bright parking lines at Utah Valley University.
