Mountain paving in Tijeras Canyon
Tijeras sits around 6,300 feet where Tijeras Canyon opens between the Sandia and Manzanita mountains — the gateway between Albuquerque and the East Mountains along I-40, NM-333 and the junction of NM-14 and NM-337. Properties here are very different from the flat valley lots to the east. Many homes sit on hillsides, along washes, or at the end of steep, winding drives.
That terrain makes drainage the single most important part of any Tijeras paving job. Water coming down a slope picks up speed and will find any weakness at the edge of a driveway. Without planned outlets, it undercuts the pavement, washes out base and carries debris across the surface every monsoon season.
How we approach Tijeras properties
- Read the water first. We look at where runoff enters your property, where it collects, and where it can safely leave.
- Edges that hold. On slopes, edges get extra compaction and support so they don't crumble.
- Grade-appropriate surfaces. Steep drives generally need hot-mix asphalt; loose gravel and millings tend to wash out on a grade.
- Turnarounds and parking pads. Flat, usable space at the top of a steep drive is often the most valuable part of the project.
- Snow and ice. Shaded canyon drives stay icy longer. Good drainage keeps meltwater from refreezing across the surface.
Common Tijeras projects
Replacing old, broken driveways that have lost their base to runoff; paving dirt and gravel drives that wash out every summer; repairing potholes and crumbling edges; and sealcoating driveways that take a beating from sun and snow. See our Tijeras driveway paving page for more.
Paving services in Tijeras
- New asphalt driveways and gravel-to-asphalt conversions
- Resurfacing and overlays for worn driveways with a solid base
- Sealcoating and crack sealing
- Pothole and asphalt repair
- Private road paving, chip seal and recycled millings
- Parking lots and commercial paving
- Grading, drainage and base prep
Frequently asked questions
Can you pave a steep driveway in Tijeras?
Yes. Steep drives need careful base compaction, strong edges and good drainage. Hot-mix asphalt is usually the right surface for grades where gravel washes out.
My driveway washes out every monsoon. Can you fix that?
Usually, yes. We identify where water enters and leaves, then regrade and add swales, rundowns or culverts so it's directed off the pavement.
Do you work in the Tijeras Canyon subdivisions?
Yes — throughout Tijeras, the canyon, and up NM-14 and NM-337.