Disclosed are bituminous blends having improved toughness and elasticity. The blends contain a bituminous binder and a tapered block copolymer formed from a monovinyl aromatic compound and a conjugated diene. Suitable tapered block copolymers include a tapered A-B-A type block copolymer of the A-t-B-t-A configuration, particularly those having an isolated monovinyl aromatic compound content of about 20 to about 90 weight percent, and tapered A-B-A type block copolymers of the A-B-t-A configuration having an isolated monovinyl aromatic compound content of about 20 to about 90 weight percent of the total monovinyl aromatic compound in the tapered block copolymer. Further disclosed is a method of making the blends. Further disclosed is a tapered A-B-A type block copolymer having an isolated monovinyl aromatic compound content of about 29 to about 75 weight percent.