Asphalt’s Superior Constructability: Safety, Ease of Construction & More

Table of Contents

• Why Asphalt Construction Is Faster
• The Benefits of Stage Construction
• Asphalt’s Superior Benefits: Safety, Cost and Community Impact

When most people think about road construction, the first word that comes to mind probably isn’t “fast.”

However, when it comes to asphalt pavement, construction speed is actually one of its most significant (and underappreciated) advantages. See how asphalt pavement ranks better than the competition for ease of construction, safety and more.

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Why Asphalt Construction Is Faster

The difference between building an asphalt road and a concrete road becomes apparent almost immediately.

With jointed concrete, every step in the process requires waiting. You set forms, tie rebar, pour the concrete, cut joints and then wait. At minimum, you typically wait three to five days for curing—possibly even seven days. After that, you still have to come back and seal the joints. From start to finish, opening a single lane of concrete pavement to traffic typically takes no less than two weeks.

With asphalt, that same lane can be open to traffic in a matter of hours. There are no forms to set. Once the surface is excavated and graded, the pavers set up, the trucks back up and the mix is laid and compacted. As soon as it cools, traffic can come through. That two-week minimum gets compressed into a single workday.

This difference is felt the most in residential neighborhoods. With asphalt, it’s only a matter of hours before a driveway is accessible again, avoiding the inconvenience of residents having to wait for multiple days to regain access.

This same advantage also applies to maintenance. When a pothole or damaged section needs to be repaired, both concrete and asphalt require cutting and removing the affected material. However, concrete can require doweling into the surrounding pavement, tying steel, pouring and waiting to cure, while asphalt is filled, compacted and open to traffic again almost immediately.

There’s also a structural design flexibility built into asphalt that concrete simply can’t match. Since asphalt is placed in lifts, contractors can vary the mix type and binder grade at each layer. A more economical mix can go at the bottom, where different stresses are at play, while the surface layer gets a mix optimized for smoothness and durability.

The Benefits of Stage Construction

One of the most practical (and often overlooked) advantages of asphalt is its ability to be built in stages, also known as stage construction.

In a new subdivision or large industrial development, all base and intermediate asphalt layers can be placed first, before the project is complete. That surface can then carry construction traffic, such as heavy trucks, concrete mixers and flatbeds delivering roof trusses, throughout the development process. Workers can backfill, pour sidewalks, install streetlights and plant grass, all while driving on a functional asphalt base.

Any weak spots in the subgrade that may not have been apparent during initial construction are revealed under real-world loads. This allows those weak spots to be identified and repaired before the final surface ever goes down. Then, at the very end of the project, a fresh, clean surface layer gets laid and striped.

Contractors walk away from a brand-new surface that’s only days old rather than a surface that’s been gouged, scuffed and worn down from months of construction activity. That’s a meaningful difference in long-term durability, especially in Texas, where challenging subgrade soils can cause problems down the road.

Asphalt’s Superior Benefits: Safety, Cost and Community Impact

The speed advantage of asphalt construction isn’t just a matter of convenience. It has real implications for safety, economics and community well-being. 

From a worker safety standpoint, every additional day spent in a live construction zone next to moving traffic is another day of risk. Concrete barricades and barrels can define a work zone, but they don’t eliminate the danger of working alongside vehicles traveling at high speeds. The faster a project can be completed, the less exposure workers have to that risk, and the less opportunity there is for driver frustration to translate into dangerous behavior near work zones.

There’s also an economic ripple effect to consider. User delay costs, or the economic impact of slowing or restricting traffic flow, are real and quantifiable. Delayed deliveries, longer commutes, and disrupted access all carry costs that are eventually passed along.

Beyond logistics, there’s also a direct impact on local businesses. For a small business operating on a street that’s under construction, every day of restricted access is a day of lost customers. Extended construction timelines can significantly increase lost revenue and inconvenience for small businesses. 

With asphalt’s significantly shorter construction windows, that risk is dramatically reduced. The same applies to residents. Getting people back into their neighborhoods, back in and out of their driveways and back to normal life isn’t just a nicety—it’s a measure of how well a construction project serves the community it’s built for.

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