The title is the question.
Maybe it’s the cheapest thing with the right properties, but can’t it be painted with something a little more reflective, that won’t absorbe so much heat from the sun?
In: Technology
Black asphalt is better than most everything else in hot climates because it is **self healing**. In direct sun on a very hot day, the tar melts and reattaches across small cracks, which prevents them from becoming big cracks and then potholes. This is also why in colder climates the get potholes more frequently. On the other end of the spectrum, asphalt doesn’t work in places that get too hot for too long because the tar gets too soft and the street start to melt and the asphalt sticks to tires. Much of Texas have concrete streets for this reason.
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