Municipalities and other infrastructure stakeholders are using innovative surface materials to enhance branding, safety, and public messaging on asphalt and concrete substrates.
“With the right materials, there’s a lot you can do to make standard, urban hardscape surfaces a lot more durable, safe, and eye-catching,” says Doug Bain, Hub Surface Systems (HSS).
TrafficPatterns
Roadways, parks, retail and other paved surfaces are prime territory for branding, thanks to innovations in stamped asphalt solutions. TrafficPatterns and TrafficPatternsXD, for example, are being used to embed vibrant and durable logos, artwork, and messaging in high-traffic areas in jurisdictions across Canada.
Hub is working with clients across the country to turn asphalt surfaces into works of art. Among these are a 8000-sq-ft map of Canada in the City of Coquitlam, an eye-catching new crosswalk in Kitchener, and First Nations art in Vancouver’s Granville Street.
“Putting images on the ground is nothing new, but now we can do more complex designs with durable materials that will last for years and require zero maintenance,” adds Bain.
TrafficPatternsXD’s traffic calming attributes are also on display in hotspots like Toronto’s Emery Village. Here, the material was selected to replace several unit pavers and bring a highly trafficked crossing back to life in the form of a decorative asphalt pavement with an eye-catching paving stone aesthetic.
“Over the years, the increasing volume of commercial and heavy trucks caused excessive wear and tear on the pavers. This required frequent repair and replacement, so maintenance became an overriding concern,” recalls Al Ruggero, Project Manager with Emery Business BIA. “Replacing the pavers with TrafficPatternsXD allowed us to replicate the colour and maintain the crossway paver grid design and gain a low-maintenance product with a longer lifespan.”
DecoMark and AirMark
Advances in surface materials are also being used to create wayfinding and branding elements on city streets and commercial lots. DecoMark is one such material employed by clients for its anti-slip and anti-skid characteristics, and UV-stable colours. Its durable composition makes it last up to eight times longer than traditional paint in busy areas.
Airports have also benefitted from advances in concrete and asphalt surface coatings. AirMark, for example, is a resilient preformed thermoplastic pavement marking material that can be easily positioned and quickly applied via heat to runways, ramps, airplane parking, and similar surfaces to create horizontal signage and lane markings.
StreetBond150
Since its introduction in the early ’90s, StreetBond150 Advanced Coating for Asphalt and Concrete has also been used to create colourful, safe, and engaging environments across Canada. For example, HSS has worked with landscape designers at Seferian Design Group to revitalize kindergarten play areas at more than 120 public, Catholic, and private schools throughout Ontario.
“We first began using Streetbond150 in school playgrounds to bring in vibrant colours and games into an otherwise dull and grey environment,” recalls Haig Seferian, Principal Landscape Architect with Seferian Design Group, in a 2020 project profile. “While we found that the StreetBond product is best suited for new asphalt or concrete, many schools do not have the budget to re-install new asphalt. StreetBond150 has been an ideal solution for renewing older asphalt and concrete areas.”
StreetBond’s vibrant colours, durability, and anti-slip attributes have also made it a go-to pick for numerous traffic calming projects across Canada, as well as the material of choice for the City of Toronto’s recent Laneway Project initiative, which saw the installation of a 90-metre street mural in Leslieville.
“Giving the community art that will last is important,” Bain adds. “Traditional paints are not suited for the wear and tear that these spaces must endure.”
Innovation
Material innovations like these are making asphalt and concrete surfaces safer, more durable, and more engaging.
“Whether the goal is to revitalize a stretch of road, to add safety elements to a busy street, or to embed a piece of art or a branding element to your space, the great thing about these materials is that they enable clients to achieve their vision in a way that will perform well for many years” notes Bain.
Discover Hub Surface Systems’ portfolio of decorative paving solutions for asphalt and concrete surfaces at www.hubss.com.
