Asphalt

To Make Cities More Livable, Get Rid of Pavement
Paved surfaces take up close to a third of space in U.S. cities, polluting waterways and contributing to the urban heat island effect.

Hot Asphalt May Increase Air Pollution in Urban Areas
Research shows that road asphalt exposed to heat and sunlight may eventually become a significant emissions source.

The Undeniable Link Between Redlining and Extreme Heat in American Cities
The country’s history of racist and segregationist housing policies is affecting vulnerable low-income communities of color that are bearing the brunt of climate change impacts.

Las Vegas Faces a Challenging and Uncertain Environmental Future
Excessive heat will impact the desert city in the coming years, and major steps need to be taken now to change its course.

Sand: Another Victim of Global Urbanization
Headlined by vertical (and horizontal) sprawl in China, India, and elsewhere, the global building boom requires vast quantities of concrete and asphalt. And to get those materials, sand must be taken from the environment.

Omaha Stripped Away Pavement from Residential Streets, Controversy Ensues
Decades ago, developers installed sub-standard asphalt on residential streets in Omaha, with the understanding that residents, not the city, would maintain them.

The Latest Trend in Transportation Infrastructure: Un-Paving Roads
A recent study discovered that towns and cities around the country had removed the pavement on thousands of roads in the last five years.

Lacking Funds for Repair, Texas Unpaves its Roads
Unable to find funding to repair roads damaged by the booming oil industry traffic, Texas will convert asphalt roads to gravel. Texas's gas tax is among the lowest in the nation.
Could Colored Pavement Cool Our Cities?
More than a third of the land in our cities is covered by black asphalt, an exemplary heat trapping surface and major contributor to the urban heat island effect. Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley Lab are studying "cool pavement" alternatives.
Hard Road Ahead
Michael J. Coren has a preview of an MIT report that lays out the economic and environmental benefits of stiffer pavement.
Grand Valley Metropolitan Council
City of Bothell
Town of San Anselmo
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard Graduate School of Design Executive Education
Harvard Graduate School of Design Executive Education
City of Apache Junction
City of Helena
Gallatin County, Montana
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