Learning About the Advantages of Asphalt Pavement in Worcester MA

by | Nov 29, 2016 | Construction and Maintenance

Asphalt Pavement in Worcester MA is the most common type of surfacing for roads and parking lots, far outpacing concrete and various kinds of gravel. Precise statistics for about pavement in this particular community are not available, but if it’s like the rest of the country, some 94 percent of the roads are covered with blacktop. Some are entirely made of asphalt while others consist of asphalt that was installed over old deteriorating concrete.

Several reasons account for the prevalence of Asphalt Pavement in Worcester MA. The material is less expensive than concrete, which is why it’s also the norm for long residential and commercial driveways. Blacktop makes for a smooth ride. Tires generate more noise when traveling on concrete, and concrete-paved roads need joints that allow the material to expand and contract without cracking. Those joints create subtle but noticeable bumps as the vehicle travels over them.

Asphalt pavement is easy to maintain as long as workers are called upon to fix problems relatively quickly. People become annoyed with potholes in roads and parking lots, but those big flaws in the pavement start as small cracks or holes that could be filled before they grow larger. The main problematic areas develop when municipalities do not have the budget for routine road maintenance, or when they avoid maintenance because they plan on road replacement in the next couple of years. Some business owners also allow parking lots behind buildings to deteriorate since customers generally do not park there. Instead, those areas are mainly for large trucks making deliveries.

Asphalt is considered a sustainable material as well. People may think of it as a petroleum product, especially because of its rich, deep color. In truth, nearly all of the material consists of gravel and sand. Only around 5 percent is sourced from petroleum. This product, known as asphalt cement, binds the gravel and sand together. The combination of substances builds the material that is maintained by a company such as Premier Sealcoating & Line Striping. Sealcoating dramatically extends the longevity of asphalt and delays deterioration due to ultraviolet light, freezing and thawing, and heavy traffic. Visit Us to learn more.

Latest Articles

Categories

Archives