Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
Big heat is coming to the Northeast, so are more downpours Chevron right
North Central states face daily bouts of severe weather. Click here for more details Chevron right

Columbus, OH

66°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

66°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Climate

Phoenix turns to ‘cool corridors’ to combat urban heat island effects

Road crews have been out and about in the Phoenix area this spring and summer, but not just to fix potholes. Instead, they are conducting a mission to battle the brutal summer heat.

By Thomas Leffler, AccuWeather staff writer

Published Jun 24, 2022 10:23 AM EDT | Updated Jun 24, 2022 10:23 AM EDT

Copied

Transportation officials in Arizona say a special treatment on residential streets to reduce heat absorption is paying off and this summer they hit a milestone.

With temperatures that regularly soar into the triple-digits and an unusual stretch in June during which temperatures soared to 113 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for several days, the city of Phoenix has concocted a new method of keeping the area cool throughout the summer months.

Road crews have been out working in Phoenix-area streets, but not just to pave or patch potholes. The city's Street Transportation Department has sent out crews on a unique mission: to spray a special solution onto dark-colored streets in order to create "cool corridors."

The solution, which, according to officials, contains no harmful materials, paints over the roadways to make them a lighter grey color, therefore less absorbent to the hot local climate.

Phoenix's Cool Pavement Program has brought down surface temperatures at the city's Esteban Park, among other locations. (Phoenix Street Transportation Department)

The program, which is now in its second year, comes just in time for the scorching Valley of the Sun. Phoenix heat reached record-breaking levels in June, shattering a daily record on June 10 by topping out at 113. On June 12, temperatures went even higher, growing to 114 and tying a daily record that has been around for over 100 years, set in 1918.

Pavement that is of a darker color keeps heat entrenched in roadways, adding to the sweltering environment, according to the city's street transportation officials.

Phoenix is one of several cities in the United States that experience urban heat island effects due to heat retention within the built-up environment, with data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showing the true breadth of that effect. The EPA study found that nighttime temperatures in heat island areas can be up to 22 degrees higher than temperatures measured outside the area.

Cool Pavement Program installation near Thunderbird and 43rd Ave in Phoenix shows the process of putting down the non-harmful material. (Phoenix Street Transportation Department)

Higher nighttime temperatures can lead to harmful effects such as more energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

"In Phoenix, where we can have 115-degree summer days, it holds on to that heat and releases it slowly," the transportation department's Communications and Public Engagement Coordinator Heather Murphy told AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell. "What we've seen over time is ... temperatures really creeping up."

Murphy said that the program has been a success thus far, with about 40 miles of residential streets already treated with a non-harmful combination of asphalt, water, emulsifying agents, mineral fillers, polymers and recycled materials. The pavement has no reflective layer, and the experience for motorists is similar to driving on concrete highways.

Traditional Asphalt side by side with the Phoenix Cool Pavement program shows the difference in surface temperatures during the blazing afternoon hours. (Photo via Phoenix Street Transportation Department)

Results of the first year of the Cool Pavement Program showed that surface temperatures using the lighter color were between 10.5 and 12 degrees cooler than the typical Phoenix street pavement during afternoon hours. Lower surface temperatures were recorded at all times of the day versus traditional asphalt, averaging 2.4 degrees lower than asphalt at sunrise.

GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

  •     Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+

The pilot portion of the program was such a success that it became a regular part of the Street Transportation Department's operations in October 2021. Continued studies will determine if the pavement product will mitigate the heat island effect in the city.

The project is part of a city initiative to make "more livable" neighborhoods in places without much shade coverage during the summer months.

"We will be continuing to study, especially the longevity and durability, and how the material stands up to our brutal summer heat and sunshine," Murphy said.

Reporting by Bill Wadell.

In other news:

Unprecedented wrath of Hurricane Agnes reverberates 53 years later
Giant floating restaurant sank after encountering 'adverse conditions'
Lake Mead water levels drop closer to dead pool status

Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.

Report a Typo
Comments that don't add to the conversation may be automatically or manually removed by Facebook or AccuWeather. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.
Comments
Hide Comments

Weather News

Weather News

Wildfire smoke to limit number of days with deep blue sky this summer

Jun. 12, 2025
Weather News

More rain, temperature swings ahead for the Northeast

Jun. 15, 2025
Weather News

Children swept away among at least 49 killed in South Africa flooding

Jun. 11, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather News

How the Air India plane came crashing to earth

3 days ago

Severe Weather

North-central US faces daily bouts of severe weather

19 minutes ago

Weather Forecasts

More stormy downpours for northeast US, but big heat is on horizon

19 minutes ago

Weather Forecasts

Denver to hit 100 as heat surges to new heights in central US

19 minutes ago

Weather News

At least 8 dead in San Antonio after months of rain fell in hours

2 days ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Climate

If crucial ocean currents collapses, weather impact would be extreme

4 days ago

Weather News

No injuries after JetBlue plane rolls onto grass after landing

3 days ago

Astronomy

Accidental find in planetarium could shift understanding of solar syst...

4 days ago

Climate

New Zealand sued over ‘inadequate’ plan to reduce emissions

4 days ago

Weather News

New images reveal treasures aboard ‘holy grail’ shipwreck

3 days ago

AccuWeather Climate Phoenix turns to ‘cool corridors’ to combat urban heat island effects
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...