Ohio’s asphalt paving industry is undergoing a significant structural shift driven by $14 billion in federal infrastructure funding through the IIJA, aging pavement across Northeast Ohio’s commercial corridors, and rising demand for integrated pavement management over one-time new construction. For Cleveland-area commercial and industrial property owners, this convergence of public investment, climate-driven wear, and evolving contractor capabilities creates both urgency and opportunity.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – The asphalt paving industry in Northeast Ohio is entering a pivotal period of transformation, driven by federal infrastructure dollars, aging commercial pavement, and the region’s punishing freeze-thaw climate. For commercial property owners, facility managers, and HOAs throughout the Cleveland metro area, these trends directly inform decisions about when to pave, whether to repair or replace, and how to select the right contractor.

Historic Infrastructure Investment

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is channeling an estimated $14 billion into Ohio, including $9.7 billion for roads and bridges. In Northeast Ohio alone, ODOT announced over $1.7 billion across 248 projects. Ohio voters further reinforced this in May 2025, approving $2.5 billion in general obligation bonds for infrastructure. For commercial property owners, improved surrounding roads make neglected private parking lots more conspicuous – and more costly to ignore.

Ohio’s Infrastructure Report Card Signals Urgency

The ASCE issued Ohio an overall grade of C- in its 2025 Infrastructure Report Card. NOACA confirmed that 76% of its 2024-2027 roadway funding is dedicated to system preservation – a clear signal that the region’s pavement stock needs rehabilitation. Privately owned parking lots and access drives, many built during Ohio’s industrial peak, are likely in comparable or worse condition.

The Shift to Integrated Pavement Management

Pure “paving-only” revenue among the top 50 U.S. contractors declined approximately 24% from its 2023 peak, even as total revenues climbed 18%. Property owners increasingly seek contractors offering integrated services – milling, resurfacing, drainage repair, sealcoating, and long-term maintenance planning – not just new installation.

Freeze-Thaw Climate Creates a Compounding Crisis

Cleveland’s repeated freeze-thaw cycles fracture pavement from within, saturate subbases, and accelerate structural failure. Well-maintained asphalt can last 20-30 years; neglected pavement often requires full replacement in 10-15. Replacement costs can run up to seven times that of a proactive maintenance program.

In-House Crews Separate Winners from the Rest

Contractors with in-house crews and integrated capabilities outperform subcontracting-dependent firms on scheduling, quality control, and accountability – all critical on active commercial and industrial sites.

Empire Paving has delivered commercial asphalt paving, concrete construction, drainage solutions, and pavement maintenance across Northeast Ohio for over 20 years from its Cleveland headquarters. Learn more at https://www.empirepaving.biz/cuyahoga-county/cleveland-oh/ or call (216) 581-1000.

Media Contact
Company Name: Empire Paving
Contact Person: Scott Heiman
Email:Send Email [https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=ohios-asphalt-paving-industry-at-an-inflection-point-what-cleveland-commercial-property-owners-need-to-know-in-20252026]
Phone: 216-581-1000
Address:4620 Johnston Pkwy
City: Cleveland
State: Ohio, 44128
Country: United States
Website: https://www.empirepaving.biz

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One storm near Kankakee, Illinois, produced a large, destructive tornado Tuesday. It also produced what will likely go down as a record hailstone for the state. 

It looked like something out of a weather textbook. Let’s show you the moments we knew destruction was happening. 

The hail

We’ll start with the hail. 

I was getting ready for bed around 7 p.m. EDT Tuesday (since I’m up before 2 a.m.), and I checked my radar app. 

The image below is what I saw. 

A textbook supercell (rotating thunderstorm) was moving south of Chicago, but there was a unique feature that caught my attention. 

I’ve highlighted that in the image. It doesn’t look like much, but it’s a huge teller of large hail. It’s called a TBSS, or three body scatter spike. 

As the radar beam hits hailstones, it gets scattered three different times. That results in the appendage you see on radar extending off the storm.

Moments later, reports came in of hail that was baseball-sized and larger. One such report could break the state’s record for largest hailstone. 

The report suggested a hailstone of 6 inches in diameter.

According to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, this would break Illinois’ previous record for largest hailstone – and by a long shot.

The largest hailstone on record in the U.S. happened in South Dakota, and it was measured at 8 inches in diameter. 

Insane!

The tornado

While it takes time to assess the damage and come up with a rating, there was zero doubt that a tornado spawned from this storm too. 

It’s common during tornadoes for there to be hail on the northern flank of the storm. It’s called the “hail core,” and it is a result of rapidly rising air. 

In terms of the actual tornado, it became evident that one was active when looking at radar. 

A hook echo is commonly seen in supercell thunderstorms. It’s an indication of warm air flowing into the storm, while cold air flows down its rear flank. This is your rotational aspect of the storm that extends down to the surface.

The air spins rapidly and – eventually – it picks up debris. This can show up as a ball on the southern tip of the storm. 

Every bit of this storm was something out of a meteorology textbook – a marvel for those who admire the atmosphere, but a nightmare for those at ground level enduring its fury.

CHICAGO (WLS) — Suspected tornadoes have left extensive damage in Kankakee County in Illinois and into neighboring Indiana Tuesday.

The storms also produced hail ranging in size from two to four inches, the National Weather Service said. The NWS said the largest hailstone produced was six inches in diameter, which fell in Kankakee. The NWS said the hailstone may be a state record for Illinois.

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The NWS said a supercell that went from Pontiac, Illinois to Pontiac, Indiana spawned at least four tornadoes in Pontiac and south of Kankakee in Illinois and Lake Village an Wheatfield in Indiana.

The NWS is sending survey teams to the area Wednesday to investigate the damage.

Search crews worked late into the night looking for people who may have been left trapped by the storm damage as severe weather hit the Kankakee area.

The area in Aroma Park along Sandbar Road was one of the places hardest hit.

Dangerous weather ripped through the area leaving a path of destruction.

The powerful storms driving rain and gusting winds downed at least a half dozen power lines that were snapped in half by gusting winds.

One homeowner says the storm blew out windows and leveled a two-story barn.

A concrete silo was also destroyed.

The fire lieutenant says a man did have to be rescued from the basement of a home with heavy damage. But otherwise, I have not heard of any serious injuries from the storm.

The American Red Cross has set up a shelter at Kankakee Community College for those impacted by the storms.

There has also been major damage across the state line in Indiana. Most of the damage is in the town of Lake Village.

Video shows a number of homes and buildings destroyed.

The local fire department says a tornado had a wide path of destruction and continued for several miles.

So far, officials said there have been only a few minor injuries.

They said the tornado sirens went off with plenty of time to alert people in the area.

People impacted by the storm can go to North Newton High School for support.

People living in Kankakee described the hail as almost as large as their hands, pounding the pavement and causing extensive damage.

“As if I have a bulletproof car and somebody was, like, shooting a machine gun or something like that. That’s how hard it was hitting,” Jon Robicheaux said.

Some car windows were left shattered.

“It just kept tearing into my front windshield,” Robicheaux said. “The back went out first, and it kept hitting the front. And it constantly got damaged.”

He had to pull over to find shelter.

“And I was kind of scared a tornado would’ve came over me while I was parked because I couldn’t see anything,” Robicheaux said.

Some cars in the west suburbs were damaged, as well, after golf ball- to baseball-sized hail fell.

One large chunk of hail came down on Gabrielle Zinkel’s car as she was driving home to Homer Glen from work in Downers Grove, shattering her back windshield.

“It sounded exactly like bullets hitting your car. Like, I was like, did my windshield just get shot through? Like what just happened? Because I did not think. I was like, OK, I’m going to come through this with some dents. But I didn’t think that this thing would hit my windshield and crack it right open,” Zinkel said.

There was also heavy rain and hail in parts of the city.

The hail sent people scrambling around dusk.

ComEd said as of 5 a.m., about 27,000 customers were impacted by the storm, with power restored to all but about 4,000 customers. Those without power were mainly in Kankakee County.

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