Asphalt

: Invented "macadam" roads, which used layers of crushed stone to improve drainage.

: Later builders realized that adding hot tar to these stones reduced dust and wear, creating "tarmacadam" (tarmac). asphalt

As cars replaced horses, the demand for smooth, durable roads skyrocketed. : Invented "macadam" roads, which used layers of

: In 1870, Belgian chemist Edmund J. DeSmedt laid the first true asphalt pavement in the U.S. in Newark, New Jersey. The Modern Era : Invented "macadam" roads

Asphalt is now one of the most recycled materials in the world. Old roads are ground up, reheated, and laid down again as "Recycled Asphalt Pavement" (RAP), making the "story" of a single piece of road one that can repeat for decades. One Bumpy Ride: The Evolution of Asphalt | by Ernie Smith