Joe- the blacktop looks good. You might want to try painting the plywood black first. This will help hide the thin spots. It might even help the gel bond to the surface too, bare plywood sucks up any moisture that the paint needs for adhesion.
Remember- there are not too many perfect looking roads and parking lots out there. The patches and cracks are all normal. Try some black acrylic paint over the cracks and seams to make it look like a hot tar crack fill.
The ballast looks good too. Slow and steady wins the race.
Bob
