9 Interesting Facts About Asphalt

Ask a child what asphalt is and you’re bound to get some interesting responses. “It’s what my daddy likes to drive really fast on.” “My mommy says I’m not supposed to say bad words.” Of course, you’ll probably get a lot of “I don’t know” replies as well. Truth of the matter is that a lot of adults don’t really know what asphalt is either!

Sure, people generally understand it’s “the stuff we drive and park on,” but they might not know much more about asphalt beyond that. Well, we’re here to help.

We’ve previously discussed the difference between concrete and asphalt and how porous asphalt paving is both cost and environmentally beneficial. Today, we want to introduce you to some interesting facts about this essential form of pavement. In doing so, you will learn a little more and can develop a better answer than simply shrugging your shoulders if a son or daughter asks you what asphalt is.

With that in mind, here are 9 interesting facts you probably didn’t know about asphalt:

1. Asphalt pavements—not paper, plastics, or cardboard—are America’s most recycled product. According to a recent survey by the National Asphalt Pavement Association, our industry recycles asphalt pavements at a rate of over 99%. This recycling saves American taxpayers over $300 million each year!

2. There are over two-and-a-quarter million miles of paved roads in the United States. 94% of these roads—including 65% of our interstate highways—are surfaced with asphalt.

3. In addition to all those roads, 90% of parking lots and driveways use asphalt pavement over concrete. This makes asphalt the material of choice for a vast majority of residential and commercial development owners, and means it’s a great choice for you next development project as well! (Stripe A Lot will be glad to assist you, starting with your completely free estimate!)

4. From a historical perspective, the first road use of asphalt was in Paris back in 1824. Asphalt blocks were placed on the Champs-Élysées to accommodate travelers.

5. Where does asphalt get its name? Well, it comes from the primary binding agent used in the mixture.

6. The liquid asphalt is actually only about 5% of the asphalt pavement material, with the other 95% being a mineral aggregate. Together, this mixture is laid and compacted upon a subgrade foundation (the base of crushed stone) to create the paved surface we walk and drive on every day.

7. The average asphalt surface only experiences a 40% drop in quality during the first 75% of a pavement’s life. What this means is that the low cost of preservation gives a preventative maintenance plan a high ROI (return on investment) for you and your business. Not sure what this entails? Contact our professionals and we can help you create an effective plan to protect your property investment!

8. Asphalt paving can be good for your ears! Research shows asphalt to reduce highway noise levels by 3 to 5 A-weighted decibels (the relative loudness of sounds in air as perceived by human ears).

9. And, finally, let’s wrap up our list by bringing up a fact regarding the preservative qualities of asphalt – this incredible product has even been linked to the mummification process used by ancient Egyptian dynasties!

Knowing about asphalt paving is a great start, but it’s even better to contact a team of professionals who are dedicated to making sure your property is everything it could be! At Stripe A Lot, we provide comprehensive paving services and FREE estimates – all without ever selling you on anything you don’t actually need. For more information or to request a consultation, call our Holland, MI headquarters at 1-800-BLACKTOP (or 616-772-2559).