Gravel Driveway Installation in Macomb County, MI
New gravel driveways cut in and worn ones rebuilt across northern Macomb County, from Richmond and Armada to Ray Township and Romeo. Built on a compacted base and crowned so the water runs off the edges.
- Free on-site estimates
- Owner-run by George
- Based in Capac, MI
Driveways across Macomb County
Elite Excavating LLC works out of a yard in Capac, in St. Clair County, and the Macomb County towns to the south are a regular run. Richmond and Armada are each about 18 miles from the yard and Romeo about 22. The county gets more rural the further north you go, and that is where the long gravel drives are: farmhouses, split lots and new homes set back off the road.
Macomb County keeps a lot of gravel itself. The Macomb County Department of Roads says it maintains roughly 335 miles of gravel roads across the county. A private drive coming off one of those roads takes the same beating from water, frost and trucks, and it lasts only as long as the base under it.
George walks the drive with you, tells you whether it needs a rebuild or a repair, and gives you a price before any work starts. He runs the equipment himself, so the person who priced the drive is the person who builds it.
The approach is a Department of Roads matter
Where a new drive meets a county road, the work at the road edge falls under the Macomb County Department of Roads (MCDR), at 117 South Groesbeck Highway in Mount Clemens. Its permits page lists permits for residential and commercial approaches and for ditch enclosures, and the department's own FAQ says a permit is required any time a homeowner or contractor works within the county right of way. The permits page also asks for 48 hours' notice to its Permits Department before work in the right of way begins.
Not every road belongs to MCDR. Its FAQ says township roads are under county jurisdiction, roads inside a city or village are not, and roads numbered I, M or U.S., such as M-59, M-3 and I-94, are state trunklines handled by MDOT. If you are not sure who owns the road in front of you, MCDR points people to the SEMCOG road jurisdiction map. Confirm with the right office before the drive is cut in, and see the driveway culvert permit guide.
How a new gravel drive is built
The drive is cut first and the soft material comes out. The base is built and compacted in lifts, one layer at a time, and the surface is crowned so water sheds to both sides instead of running down the middle. A drive built on soft ground with stone thrown over the top of it will rut by spring. One built on a real base holds its shape. The step-by-step driveway guide goes through each stage and what the stone layers do.
Spring weight limits and the stone truck
Stone comes in by truck, and loaded trucks are limited in spring. MCDR says it puts seasonal weight restrictions into effect, normally in early spring, and lifts them once the ground has thawed, and that the start and end dates vary with the weather. If your drive is planned for March or April, the timing gets talked through at the estimate and the current notice decides it. More in Michigan frost laws explained.
Repairs, millings and the rest of the property
A drive that has gone bad is not fixed by more stone on top. Potholes, washboard and ruts get cut out and re-based, and a drive that has lost its crown is regraded. For long drives, storage areas and parking, asphalt millings make a hard, dust-free surface for less than paving. If the drive leads to a new barn, the pad can be priced on the same visit. See pole barn pads in Macomb County.
Driveways: New drives cut in, tired ones brought back, and lots resurfaced — built on a proper base and crowned so the water runs off the edges.
What the job covers
- New gravel driveways cut in and crowned
- Long rural drives and turnarounds
- Potholes, washboard and ruts cut out and re-based
- Approaches and culverts at the road
- Asphalt millings for drives and lots
- Stone delivered and spread while the machine is there
Town pages in Macomb County.
Richmond, MI
Excavating, driveways, clearing and grading in Richmond.
Town pageMacomb CountyArmada, MI
Excavating, driveways, clearing and grading in Armada.
Town pageMacomb CountyRomeo, MI
Excavating, driveways, clearing and grading in Romeo.
Town pageMacomb CountyNew Baltimore, MI
Excavating, driveways, clearing and grading in New Baltimore.
Town pageMacomb CountyChesterfield Township, MI
Excavating, driveways, clearing and grading in Chesterfield Township.
Town pageMacomb CountyWashington Township, MI
Excavating, driveways, clearing and grading in Washington Township.
Town pageMacomb CountyMacomb Township, MI
Excavating, driveways, clearing and grading in Macomb Township.
Town pageMacomb CountyShelby Township, MI
Excavating, driveways, clearing and grading in Shelby Township.
Town pageMacomb CountySterling Heights, MI
Excavating, driveways, clearing and grading in Sterling Heights.
Town pageMacomb CountyClinton Township, MI
Excavating, driveways, clearing and grading in Clinton Township.
Town pageMacomb CountyWarren, MI
Excavating, driveways, clearing and grading in Warren.
Town pageMacomb CountyRay Township, MI
Excavating, driveways, clearing and grading in Ray Township.
Town pageMacomb CountyNew Haven, MI
Excavating, driveways, clearing and grading in New Haven.
Town pageCommunities nearby
No mystery, no surprise invoice.
Walk the job
George comes out, looks at the ground with you and talks through what it actually needs.
A number before work starts
You get a price for the job in front of you, not a rate and a shrug.
The machine shows up
The equipment arrives when it was said it would, and the work runs start to finish.
Left clean
Ruts knocked down, ground graded, debris gone. The site is finished, not abandoned.
Photos of his work.
Every photo here is from a real Elite Excavating job. See more recent work. Or read about the full driveways service.
Driveways in Macomb County: questions
Not seeing yours? Call (989) 702-2426 and ask George, or read the guides.
- Cost GuideWhat a Gravel Driveway Costs in Michigan, and Why It Varies
- GuideHow to Fix a Gravel Driveway: Potholes, Washboard and Spring Ruts
- GuideDriveway and Culvert Permits in Michigan: Who Issues Them
- GuideHow a Gravel Driveway Gets Built in Michigan
- GuideWhich Gravel Belongs on a Michigan Driveway
- GuideAsphalt Millings for a Michigan Driveway: The Trade-offs
Do I need a permit for a driveway approach in Macomb County?
The Macomb County Department of Roads says a permit is required for any work in the county right of way, and it issues permits for residential approaches. On a state highway it is MDOT, and inside a city or village it is that municipality. Check with the office before the drive is cut in.
What decides the price of a gravel driveway in Macomb County?
The length, the ground under it, the work at the road and how much base and stone it takes. George walks the drive and gives you a price for that job before anything starts. The estimate is free.
Can a Macomb County driveway go in during spring?
Often, but MCDR puts seasonal weight restrictions on in early spring and the dates move with the weather. Stone trucks are affected, so the start date is set at the estimate.
Will you rebuild a rutted gravel drive in Ray or Armada Township?
Yes. The bad sections are cut out and re-based and the drive is crowned again, so water runs off it instead of sitting in the ruts.
Do you put asphalt millings down in Macomb County?
Yes. Millings go down on drives, storage lots and parking areas and make a hard, dust-free surface.
Other work he takes on.
Somewhere else? See the full service area or call (989) 702-2426.
Land Clearing in Macomb County, MI
See the pageSame countyPole Barn Pads and Site Prep in Macomb County, MI
See the pageSame countyForestry Mulching & Brush Hogging in Macomb County, MI
See the pageDriveways in other counties
01Land Clearing
Trees, brush, scrub and stumps taken off the ground so the land underneath can be built on, farmed, fenced or mowed.
Learn more
02Brush Hogging & Forestry Mulching
Standing brush and small trees cut and mulched where they stand, leaving a clean layer on the ground instead of a pile to deal with.
Learn more
03Grading & Land Leveling
Yards, lots and building pads cut to a grade that sheds water instead of holding it — the work that decides whether everything built on top of it lasts.
Learn more
04Driveway Installation & Repair
New drives cut in, tired ones brought back, and lots resurfaced — built on a proper base and crowned so the water runs off the edges.
Learn more
05Drainage Solutions
Water moved away from foundations, yards and low spots — starting with the grade, and adding pipe only where pipe is what the ground needs.
Learn more
06Material Hauling
Stone, sand, topsoil and fill brought in — and dirt, spoil and debris taken out — with the machine already there to spread it.
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07Pole Barn Pad Prep
A level, compacted pad built to the size and elevation your builder gave you, so the barn that goes on it sits right for the life of the building.
Learn more
08Residential Excavating
Digging, backfill and dirt work on properties where the lawn, the drive and the fence all have to still be there when the machine leaves.
Learn moreFree estimate in Macomb County.
Send the details and he will come out, walk the job with you and give you a number before anything starts. If it is easier to talk it through, call him.
Capac, Michigan · St. Clair, Lapeer and Macomb counties
Free estimate. A real number.
Call George. He walks the job with you and gives you a price before any work starts.