Why Is Asphalt Used for Roads?

Why Is Asphalt Used for Roads?

August 7, 2019

If you’re in the process of installing or repaving a driveway or parking lot on your commercial or residential property, you may be wondering why you should choose asphalt over an alternative surface, like concrete.

Asphalt has been the preferred road paving solution for centuries, and for good reason—it’s highly durable, cost-effective and relatively easy to maintain. Asphalt is capable of withstanding a wide range of weather conditions, and provides a smooth, consistent riding surface.

When you’re working with a qualified asphalt paving service in Kentucky, they can help you install an asphalt driveway or parking lot that meets your needs as a property owner and ensures you have the supplies and expertise necessary to maintain it for years to come.

While concrete surfaces may make sense in certain circumstances, there a number of reasons that asphalt is broadly considered to be the superior paving surface, including the following:

  • Safe: You may think that paving your road with gravel or another, more cost-effective surface is fine enough. In fact, these surfaces could pose a danger to you and your customers or guests. Graded asphalt is one of the safest driving surfaces available, providing a consistent and reliable surface on which for cars to travel.
  • Cost-effective: Many people believe concrete to be the most durable type of roadway. Unfortunately, concrete paving is exceptionally expensive to both install and maintain. Asphalt surfaces are much cheaper to install, and they minimize the amount of money required to maintain your vehicles that you may spend with a gravel or unpaved surface.
  • Easy to pave and maintain: It’s possible to pave and install asphalt surfaces one lane at a time, making it much easier and less disruptive than some other types of pavement surfaces. Additionally, maintaining asphalt is relatively easy. All you have to do is apply sealcoating once or twice a year, and fill in cracks or chips.
  • Recycled construction: Asphalt isn’t just safe and cost-effective—it’s also good for the environment! Most asphalt is made from recycled roadways. Consumer products, like tires and shingles, are also recycled to make asphalt pavement.
  • Less energy consumption: Compared with other paving surfaces, the smoothness of asphalt reduces the amount of drag resistance placed on car tires, meaning that a smooth asphalt surface will require cars to burn less fuel in order to traverse the same distance. A clean, smoothly paved road can help you reduce the amount of gas you burn.

K.O. Asphalt is a trusted asphalt paving service in Kentucky. If you’re looking for a qualified local partner to assist you with maintaining or installing a new asphalt surface at your home or business, look no further than K.O. Asphalt. We’re proud to provide our clients with a wide range of services, ranging from asphalt installation to sealcoating, and we’re a locally owned and family operated business. To learn more about ways that we can help you make your driveways and parking lots safer and more efficient, reach out to one of our friendly representatives today.

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