Alternative options to reduce costs.

But bricks are more durable. Look at all the roads that use brick they date way back.

NO ! The point of pavement stones is that you can take a strip or area up, do what cable/piping thing that needs doing, and put them back again, as good as new. Whereas tarmac/cement you destroy a section then patch with something else that cracks due to temp. diff. expansions.

how does this possibly reduce cost? what process are you replacing which cost more. and moreover, what's the point of a design on asphalt. more surface area to wear out. what purpose does it serve?

Wait until water gets in and goes through a few freeze thaw cycles and the plows go over it all winter.

Artificial stones

We do this with concrete, first time I see with asphalt.

Seems like this is gonna give the blacktop more surface area to cause pot holes and problems when the weather changes. Counterproductive almost.

Asphalt work releases harmful fumes containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which can pose serious health risks with prolonged exposure.

It won’t hold up as well.