Asphalt is quick and easy to maintain, and with regular visual inspections, cracks can be repaired quickly. It means less downtime for businesses and vehicles, reducing overall maintenance costs. Smooth roads increase fuel efficiency, reduce vehicle wear and tear, and make for a quieter ride. Asphalt also helps cut noise pollution, which is good for people and wildlife.
Affordable
Asphalt is an affordable paving option that can be used in a wide range of paving projects. It is also quick and easy to construct, making it a great choice for roadways and parking lots.
Unlike concrete, which has to sit long after construction, asphalt can be used almost immediately. It allows traffic to resume sooner and reduces disruptions for the public. Asphalt is a safe surface for roads and pavements. Its ability to manage water flow, exceptional skid resistance, and dark color that helps melt ice make it safer for motorists and pedestrians. Additionally, its smooth and even surface increases fuel efficiency for cars and trucks. It reduces their wear and tear as well as their carbon footprint.
Versatile
Asphalt can be used for almost any Ottawa paving services project. It’s popular for highway construction but can also be used for parking lots, bike trails and private driveways. This versatility makes it the most flexible paving material on the market. Asphalt is made from crushed rock and other materials mixed with liquid cement. This liquid forms a strong bond that helps the materials to stick together. It is what gives asphalt its durability and ability to withstand heavy traffic. Asphalt pavement is 100% recyclable, making it an eco-friendly paving material. It also doesn’t dissolve in water, so that it won’t contaminate the environment.
Durable
Asphalt paving is known for its durability and longevity on roadways. When constructed correctly, it can withstand heavy traffic loads and weather conditions for years. An asphalt contractor must lay down a base layer to create durable pavement. It is the load-bearing, supporting layer and is comprised of a mix of aggregate materials. Commonly made from crushed stones, sand, and bitumen, these elements are compacted to create the asphalt surface. Then, a top layer of asphalt is laid on the aggregates and rolled smoothly to ensure that it’s compacted. This step also cures the asphalt and makes it ready to be used. The result is a long-lasting, durable pavement that requires less maintenance than concrete surfaces.
Easy to Maintain
Asphalt is easy to maintain and can withstand heavy traffic and weather elements. It’s also less prone to potholes than other paving materials.
Asphalt combines aggregates (sand and small crushed stones) with bitumen as its binder. The high viscosity of the bitumen binds these materials together, creating a durable, long-lasting surface. Before the introduction of asphalt, roads were built by spreading graded aggregates over a roadbed. These roads would only work as long as the stone stayed dry and didn’t get saturated with rainwater. Asphalt allows drainage and can even be stained or colored to create a unique look. Asphalt also reflects heat rather than absorbs it, helping to keep the pavement cool in hot weather. It helps reduce the need for maintenance and repairs.
Recyclable
Many people are familiar with recycling plastic bottles, aluminum cans and paper products, but did you know that asphalt is America’s most recycled product? Asphalt can be recycled and used again as a road surface or driveway, which saves it from going to landfills. It also helps with the cost of new construction because the old pavement can be repurposed for less money. Old asphalt is milled and shredded for reuse at your local asphalt plant and mixed with new aggregate materials. It helps reduce the amount of petroleum needed for production and keeps our roads safe, durable and eco-friendly. In addition, smooth asphalt roads decrease the rolling resistance of tires, further reducing fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions. It is why specialized warm-mix asphalt is becoming so popular.
