‘Cool pavement’ pilot program could come to NYC streets by 2026, under council bill

It’s a cool idea.

The city is considering a $5.5 million pilot program to probe the use of cool pavement in areas with hot streets that would protect New Yorkers from sizzling asphalt during the summer months.

Such cool pavement — designed to stay cooler than traditional asphalt — reflects sunlight by using lighter colored-materials, coatings or grass, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The bill, sponsored by Brooklyn councilwoman Sandy Nurse, mandates the two-year pilot to include at least one neighborhood in each borough that has “high summer surface temperatures and low median income” by September 2026.

The city council’s transportation committee is set to consider the proposal during a Thursday hearing.

The cost of cool pavement sealant is about 60 cents more per square yard compared to traditional sealants, per the American Society of Civil Engineers, but the local pol argues the tactic is overrun with benefits.

“Cool pavement offers additional benefits, including decreased stormwater runoff, improved water quality, enhance street safety and better night time visibility depending on the treatment,” Nurse told PIX 11, adding that traditional asphalt absorbs heat and can make the city feel up to eight degrees warmer.

“Moreover, cool pavement treatments could also improve commercial activity where you are able to achieve the cool corridor effect,” she said.

The pilot would be a multi-agency initiative between the Department of Transportation, Department of Health, Department of Environmental Protection and Office of Long-term Planning and Sustainability. 

The Department of Transportation would submit a report to the mayor and City Council on the pilot project’s results within 180 days after the pilot wraps.