Asphalt Paving in Wathena, KS

Asphalt paving in Wathena serves a small Kansas town just west of the river. Wathena was founded in 1856, named for Chief Wathena, a Kickapoo chief who had lived in the area, and incorporated in 1873. The St. Joseph and Denver Railroad reached it in 1860. It sits about five miles west of St. Joseph at 814 feet in Doniphan County, part of the St. Joseph metro. The population peaked at 1,418 in 1980 and was 1,246 in 2020.

Established homes

Most homes in Wathena are well established, and their driveways have seen many winters. We look for alligator cracking, settled areas and broken edges, and recommend repair, overlay or replacement based on the base underneath.

Low-lying ground

At 814 feet, Wathena is on low ground west of the river. Water tends to sit rather than run off, so drainage and base depth matter more than extra asphalt thickness.

Gravel to asphalt

Some homes and nearby farms have gravel drives. We pave the parking area and the stretch near the house over compacted gravel.

Schools

Wathena is served by Riverside USD 114, formed when Elwood and Wathena schools consolidated in 2010. School lots are best paved and striped in summer.

Our approach

Site visit and written quote. If work reaches the street or a highway, we confirm the city's, county's or state's requirements first.

Grouped jobs

We often combine Wathena and Elwood jobs on the same trip, which keeps costs down.

Care

Fill cracks before winter and sealcoat every few years once cured.

Railroad history

The St. Joseph and Denver Railroad reached Wathena in 1860, and the town grew up along it. Older homes near the original town site have the oldest driveways; newer homes on the edges mostly need maintenance.

Paving season

Full paving runs from late spring into early fall, when the ground is warm and dry enough for the base and asphalt to compact properly.

Get a Free Estimate