The Phoenix Street Transportation Department's Cool Pavement Program was honored by the WTS Metropolitan Phoenix Chapter as the recipient of its 2022 Innovative Transportation Solutions Project of the Year award. The department will be officially recognized during an awards ceremony this fall.
WTS annually distinguishes individuals and organizations that have contributed to the success and advancement of women in the transportation industry, and this award identifies the contributions of four female Street Transportation Department staff members to the Cool Pavement Program's success, as well as two female Arizona State University (ASU) assistant professors who led the research used to evaluate the effectiveness of cool pavement.
Cool Pavement Program team members recognized for this award include:
Phoenix Street Transportation Department
- Laurie Smith, Deputy Director
- Seng N-Sang, Civil Engineer II
- Ashley Patton, Special Projects Administrator (currently the city's Deputy Communications Director)
- Heather Murphy, Communications and Public Engagement
This team provided pavement condition analysis for areas identified for possible treatment, developed the community outreach and engagement strategy, planned the announcement of the first year of scientific results and arranged a media showcase. The group also fielded numerous national and international media requests.
Arizona State University
- Dr. Ariane Middel, Assistant Professor, School of Arts, Media and Engineering, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
- Dr. Jennifer Vanos, Assistant Professor, School of Sustainability, College of Global Futures
Middel and Vanos led the research team by coordinating research efforts and data analysis, and interpreting data results. Both also participated as panelists during a joint presentation given by the city's Street Transportation Department and Office of Sustainability, and ASU to announce the results of year one of the scientific study.
About Phoenix's Cool Pavement Program
Asphalt collects and retains heat during the day and releases it at night. Phoenix is among several cities that experience the urban heat island effect, particularly overnight, due to the retention of heat within the built environment. Higher nighttime temperatures lead to more energy consumption, more greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and other harmful effects. Cool pavement coating reflects a higher portion of the sunlight that hits it, hence absorbing less heat. Because of this higher reflection, the coating has the potential to offset rising nighttime temperatures in the region.
In 2020, nine locations citywide were selected to receive the cool pavement treatment. The city then partnered with Arizona State University researchers to conduct scientific tests of the cool paved areas, studying how it performed and how it might be used to mitigate the urban heat island effect. Results of the first year of the study showed that the average surface temperature in test locations is 10.5 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit lower than traditional asphalt at noon and during the afternoon hours, and that surface temperatures at sunrise averaged 2.4 degrees Fahrenheit lower.
The next round of the ongoing study started in October 2021, and will analyze two new asphalt coatings that have higher reflective values than the material applied to the nine locations in 2020. One coating is the same light gray color and the other is a darker gray. City staff and ASU researchers also will analyze the durability of the coating during this next phase.
To learn more about Phoenix's Cool Pavement Program and view a list of locations where cool pavement is being used, visit Phoenix.gov/Streets/CoolPavement.