Municipalities and businesses that seek to enhance their sustainability are learning that asphalt is one of the greenest materials around. Here are 3 problems faced by various communities and the innovative solutions asphalt paving provides the following.
1) Cool pavement in Phoenix soothes the city.
With its city summer temperatures often reaching 110+ degrees, Phoenix, Arizona, is an American hot spot. Scientists credit the heat island effect for the city's fever. Urban areas suffer from high temperatures created in part from the extreme heat absorbed and re-released by the sun-baked blacktop used to pave parking lots and roads.
Cool pavement was installed several years ago in a 90,000 square foot parking lot. The city lot experiences lower temperatures and CO2 emissions as a result of the reflective coating applied to the asphalt.
Lighter colored pavement is also being used to create specially colored bike lanes and pedestrian areas, solving safety issues while lowering the temperature.
2) Flooding relief for soggy town.
Berwyn, Illinois, residents aren't too thrilled with their town's propensity to become flooded by storm water runoff. That's why town officials will be using part of a green initiative grant to replace traditional asphalt parking spaces with permeable asphalt paving.
The permeable paving allows water to partially drain through the surface, reducing the runoff that would otherwise overwhelm storm drains and basements.
The permeable asphalt parking spaces are part of a larger initiative to divert and drain the town's frequent storm water problems. These surfaces are a solution for any alleyway, parking area, or driveway where pooling water and flooding create problems.
3) Tires ride on tires when crumb rubber is mixed with asphalt.
Crumb rubber recycled from used vehicle tires has been used in paving since 1966. It is now a more attractive option to departments of transportation in many states. Because of advances in computer-generated particle size, crumb rubber can be incorporated into a hot or dry mix, making it a flexible additive for paving projects in diverse areas of the country.
The cost of crumb rubber has also gone down compared to traditional asphalt, and now rivals asphalt in price. Additionally, scientists have now developed ways to recycle paved surfaces composed partially of crumb rubber.
The addition of crumb rubber to asphalt mixes solves the problem of sustainably disposing of used tires while also lowering costs for new road projects.
The asphalt industry is continually developing new techniques and products to help their customers meet their green goals. There is no going backward when it comes to public and private commitments to sustainability. It's good to know that when it comes to being green the asphalt industry continues to move forward. Talk to a professional like Pavement Systems Inc to learn more about your options.