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Asphalt paving

Asphalt paving final inspection checklist

Asphalt paving final inspection is where the punch list is either short or expensive. This checklist walks the finished work the way an owner or AHJ will see it: devices on, systems running, everything labeled. Each item gets the photo that closes it instead of reopening it. Work is commonly verified against the project geotechnical report and specifications. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

Items
6
Photos required
9

Who runs it

The GC's superintendent with the paving foreman and the testing agency where cores or density are specified.

When in the schedule

After paving and rolling are complete and the mat has cooled, before striping and before the lot or drive is opened to traffic.

The checklist

Every item, and the photo that proves it

The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.

01

Mat and joints

  • Mat thickness verified against the specification

    Thickness confirmed by cores or depth checks where specified, consistent across the area rather than thin at the far end of the pour.

    2 photos
  • Joint construction tight and sealed

    Longitudinal and transverse joints tight with no open seam or height difference, sealed where specified so water can't enter the joint.

    2 photos
  • Compaction or density observed

    Rolling pattern followed while the mat was in temperature, density results reviewed against the specification where required, no roller marks or shoving.

    1 photo
02

Ride and drainage

  • Surface smoothness checked

    Surface run with a straightedge on the specified spacing, no bumps, dips or roller ridges beyond tolerance, transitions smooth at structures and curbs.

    1 photo
  • Drainage checked for ponding

    Surface flooded or observed after a rain, water running to the inlets with no birdbaths standing on the mat.

    2 photos
03

Striping readiness

  • Surface ready to accept striping

    Mat cooled and cured per the striping requirements, surface clean and dry, layout confirmed against the site plan before paint goes down.

    1 photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

  • Longitudinal joint between passes left high and unsealed, so it ravels open and lets water into the base along the seam.
  • Mat that looks finished but holds birdbaths, only revealed when it rains and the low spots don't drain.
  • Thickness assumed from the tonnage delivered rather than checked, coming up short in the stretches that got paved last.

Run it with the Photo Gate

A checklist nobody can submit half-finished

Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 9 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.

Submission state

Mandatory items answered6 of 6
Photos attached6 of 9
Submit locked, 3 photos missing

The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.

Common questions

What does this asphalt paving final checklist cover?
6 items across 3 sections, covering mat and joints, ride and drainage, striping readiness. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
Who should run this inspection?
The GC's superintendent with the paving foreman and the testing agency where cores or density are specified.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?
After paving and rolling are complete and the mat has cooled, before striping and before the lot or drive is opened to traffic.
Why does every item ask for a photo?
9 of the 6 items call for photo evidence. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
What most often fails a asphalt paving final inspection?
Longitudinal joint between passes left high and unsealed, so it ravels open and lets water into the base along the seam. Mat that looks finished but holds birdbaths, only revealed when it rains and the low spots don't drain. Thickness assumed from the tonnage delivered rather than checked, coming up short in the stretches that got paved last.
Can I use this checklist in RTI?
Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.