Asphalt is a material known for being highly durable and an aesthetically pleasing solution when it comes to paving driveways, highways, and streets. The materials made by an asphalt corporation are actually quieter now than years ago because of new materials being used. Therefore, high quality asphalt is often used in urban areas of a city to help reduce or control noise. The characteristics of asphalt are remarkable with 94% being used by an asphalt corporation for highways and roads although this material is also used for tennis courts, sporting grounds, freight yards, and even airport runways. Of course, even some types of roofing will use asphalt as one of the materials. This particular road material is so popular that some 70 billion pounds are used every year in America. If the work is done at a high quality, an asphalt road will actually last for years, providing a strong structure on which cars can drive.