Phoenix recently marked the 100th mile of the city’s streets coated with cool pavement, a light gray or blue shade material that reflects sunlight, thereby lowering road temperatures. Since 2020, multiple neighborhoods in the city have received this treatment, which will extend to 118 miles by the end of the year. By reflecting more sunlight than blacktop, cool pavement reduces surface temperatures by up to 12 degrees Fahrenheit. Ariane Middel (pictured), an urban climatologist and associate professor in the School for Computing and Augmented Intelligence, part of the Fulton Schools, says the project is a significant step forward toward combating urban heat.