Some parts of the city with many buildings and roads but little shade can get up to 20 degrees hotter. This is called the "urban heat island" effect. Asphalt traps heat and releases it at night, making the city even hotter and increasing air pollution.
Cool pavement helps reduce this effect. The water-based asphalt reflects more sunlight and absorbs less heat, reducing temperature spikes. It's safe to use, contains no harmful chemicals, enhances pavement life, and is compatible with traditional asphalt. The surface also looks lighter and grayer in color.
Location & Dates
View where Cool Pavement projects are located across San Antonio. Use the Interactive Map to explore current project locations and details by Council District.
Interactive Map
Implementation
In 2021, the City of San Antonio became the first city in Texas to fight heat with the treatment, testing it on a small stretch of asphalt at the east end of the Hays Street Bridge.
Now, the City is expanding its initiative, applying cool pavement treatments from companies such as GuardTop, PaveTech, GAF and SealMaster to sections of roadway in all 10 Council Districts.
Benefits
Its goal is to reduce temperatures in the hottest parts of the city in partnership with local institutions such as University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). That's in line with the Climate Action & Adaptation Plan adopted by City Council on October 17, 2019.
Cost & Funds
In total, the program will cost about $1 million. That includes the cost of installing the cool pavement at all 10 sites as well as evaluating the materials for both temperature and product performance. The project will be funded by the City's Resiliency, Energy Efficiency and Sustainability (REES) Fund.
Selection Process
The City used equity and heat data to analyze census tracts. They prioritized populated areas with high scores for:
- extreme heat
- poverty levels
- percentage of people of color
The City then narrowed down its options by incorporating streets in good condition with little shade. City Council offices made the final selections.
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