Why are streets usually asphalt and sidewalks usually concrete?

Question

Why are streets usually asphalt and sidewalks usually concrete?

In: 10

Answer 1

Cycles of repeated freezing and thawing of the ground are *terrible* for roads, and will destroy them no matter what you make them out of. So roads get made out of asphalt, which is easier to repair and repave.

In warmer areas where freezing is less of an issue, many roads do get made from concrete. It resists everyday wear and tear better, and so it lasts longer.