Phoenix is reaching a major milestone in its effort to combat extreme heat, with the city expected to hit 200 miles of “cool pavement” this week.
The Streets Department applies a reflective gray coating to low-volume residential roads that are already in need of maintenance. The coating contains titanium dioxide, which helps reflect sunlight rather than allowing the pavement to absorb as much heat.
Phoenix began the program in 2020 and says the coating can last about eight years. The city says cool pavement can lower pavement surface temperatures by up to 12 degrees.
For Trish, a mother of three who lives near 67th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road, any relief from the heat is welcome. She says her children do not do well in the heat and she would rather have the pavement be cooler.
On Tuesday, Trish's neighborhood got it's first coat of cool pavement. Back in 2022, other areas of phoenix had a previous version of the coating peeled following a major storm.
But cooler pavement doesn't necessarily mean it feels cooler to people standing on it. A study on the city's website found that the reflective surface can increase radiant heat exposure around midday by bouncing more sunlight upward.
Some residents in Maryvale, where the coating was applied in 2025, say they didn't notice much of a difference during the hottest part of the day.
Maryvale Resident Ronald says he has noticed the heat doesn't linger as much after sunset, giving children a little more time to play outside.
The city says cool pavement isn't a solution to Phoenix's extreme heat, but officials hope every degree of cooling can make a difference.
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