Phoenix expands program to cool off its streets

PHOENIX (NBC, KYMA) - One of America's hottest cities is expanding a program to cool off its streets.

By the end of the week, Phoenix will have more than 200 miles of cool pavement.

It isn't paint. It's an asphalt-based sealant applied over existing streets, and because it's lighter in color than traditional black asphalt, it reflects more sunlight, absorbs less heat and stores less of it after the sun goes down.

City officials call it "sunscreen for the roads."

The program began in 2020 as a 36-mile pilot across eight Phoenix neighborhoods.

After years of studying the results, researchers say the treated pavement can stay ten to 12 degrees cooler than traditional asphalt.