Summer is nearing its end and schools across the nation are getting ready to welcome both teachers and students back to the classroom. And while many people think of all of the work and preparation that needs to be done inside a school, the fact of the matter is that there is also a lot of work that needs to be done outside as well. One of the biggest areas that needs to be addressed are the parking lots. Especially at high schools where hundreds of drivers will soon be parking their vehicles for long days of classes, practices, and activities, it is important to address any asphalt issues that a lot may have before the summer comes to an end.

From asphalt and concrete maintenance to the installation of concrete speed bumps and other traffic calming devices, there is a lot of work that can be done during the summer months at schools across the country. For example, in an effort o slow down any drive through traffic, more and more schools are planting trees surrounded by concrete landscaping. Creating a block for cars that simply want to race through a school parking lot helps with the safety of an area, both during the school year and during the evenings and summer months as well.

In addition to applying new layers of asphalt and installing speed bumps over the summer, many schools also budget money to hire power washing and power sweeping services to make sure that every thing is looking as great as possible when the school year starts. Once all of the maintenance and cleaning have taken place, it is also sometimes necessary to reapply parking striping as well.

In the year 2017, the paving industry in the U.S. brought in $36 billion and employed 284,626 people at 195,603 businesses. Smoother asphalt and pavement surfaces extend the life of a parking lot by as much as pavement 10% and 25%. And when cities make sure that roads and highways are smooth they actually also create an environmental savings as well. In fact, according to one survey conducted in Sweden, vehicles driving on smooth roads use 10% less fuel than vehicles that are driving on rough roads.

Parents and students may be thinking of the teachers who are getting ready for the new school year as summer nears its final weeks, but the reality is that there are a lot of outdoor parking lot maintenance issues that also need to be addressed.