Grants fund road repairs using recycled tires

The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), Sacramento, California, has approved $5,282,291 in grant funding to improve roads in 43 California communities. All projects will make use of rubberized pavement, which combines crumb rubber from recycled tires with traditional materials to create safer, longer-lasting and more cost-effective road material.

“CalRecycle’s Rubberized Pavement Grant Program is a crucial part of California’s strategy to keep waste tires out of landfills and make use of these materials right here in our state,” CalRecycle Director Scott Smithline says. “As more communities realize the benefits of this environmentally sustainable option for road resurfacing and repair, California will be able to close the loop within our state and turn millions of additional waste tires into a resource that keeps our people safe, reduces costs, and protects our environment for future generations.”

• In most applications, rubberized pavement can be applied at half the thickness of conventional asphalt overlays, making it cost effective. Reduced maintenance costs create further savings through the life cycle of the pavement.
• Rubberized pavement is more crack-resistant and lasts up to 50 percent longer than traditional materials. Research has also shown rubberized pavement is more skid-resistant and absorbs more sound, reducing road noise. The material also retains its darker color for longer, ensuring road markings remain visible and vibrant. 
• California produces approximately 44 million scrap tires annually. A 2-inch thick rubberized pavement resurfacing project uses about 2,000 waste tires per lane mile. Becasue applications are thinner, less raw material is used when applying rubberized pavement, thus requiring less mining, drilling, and energy to produce.