Green News: As Concrete and Asphalt Costs level out, Concrete is now winning

As the debate between concrete roads vs paved roads goes on, concrete is winning some over in Minneapolis. According to Finance and Commerce, the local Minneapolis govt decided to solicit bids for both asphalt and concrete roads and were surprised when the bids came within 5% of each other.

The roadblock in the way of concrete was always the pricetag, asphalt was always a cheaper option. Now with prices evening out, a lot of planners are starting to go the way of concrete for it’s advantages in urban centers.

Concrete backers also make a case that their product is appealing from an environmental standpoint because, among other things, it reduces the “heat island” effect that raises temperatures – and cooling costs – in urban settings.

Moreover, many concrete mixtures – including those used in the MARQ2 project – include fly ash, a coal-combustion byproduct that otherwise would end up in landfills.

“The engineers have become so comfortable [with fly ash]; they know the benefits of it,” Lee said. “Not only from the standpoint of being green, but structural performance. When used properly, it is a great product to put into ready mix concrete.”

There are still issues with concrete however, particularly extended construction times and the familiarity most have with asphalt. Coupled with some of the other advances in concrete however, there’s a good chance concrete will emerge as a more popular choice over time.

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