When was the bitumen road invented?

 

Bitumen roads have been used for thousands of years, with evidence of bitumen being used as a binding material for roads and buildings dating back to ancient civilizations such as the Babylonians and Egyptians. However, the modern development of bitumen roads as we know them today began in the early 19th century.

The first modern asphalt road was built in 1824 in Paris, France, using a mixture of natural asphalt and gravel. The technique spread to other parts of Europe and North America in the following decades, and by the late 19th century, asphalt had become the dominant material for road surfaces.

The invention of the automobile in the late 19th century led to further improvements in bitumen road construction, as roads needed to withstand heavier traffic and higher speeds of motor vehicles. Today, bitumen is still one of the most commonly used materials for road construction worldwide.