Asphalt lifespan,
mostly a choice.

Central Valley, properly built: residential driveway 20–30 years maintained, 12–15 neglected. Commercial lot 15–25 maintained, 10–12 neglected. Truck yards and ag approaches 10–20, driven almost entirely by whether the section was designed for the axle loads it actually sees. The spread between 'maintained' and 'neglected' is the entire argument for the maintenance calendar.

In rough order around here: water in the base (drainage failures, unsealed cracks), under-built sections (thin base, thin mat — the cheap-bid special), UV oxidation on never-sealed surfaces, and loads the design never contemplated. Notice traffic wear isn't on the list — honest pavement almost never dies of use; it dies of neglect and shortcuts.

A 600 sq ft driveway: sealcoating every 4 years at ~$200 plus occasional crack work ≈ $60–$80/year, and the surface plausibly reaches year 28. Skip it, repave at year 13 for $5,000+ ≈ $380/year. Multiply by a parking lot's square footage and the same arithmetic decides five-figure budgets. Maintenance isn't a cost center; it's the cheapest asphalt you'll ever buy.

Year 0–3: black, tight, seal at the end of this window. 4–8: graying, hairlines appear — seal and crack-fill on cycle. 8–15: the fork — maintained surfaces cruise, neglected ones alligator. 15+: overlay conversations for good bases, rebuild for bad ones. Not sure where yours sits? That's literally what the free site walk answers.