As reported by Iron Mountain Daily News, The Dickinson County Road Commission in Michigan has expanded its use of rubber-modified asphalt in local paving projects, with nearly all county roads paved so far this summer using asphalt modified with scrap tire rubber. The approach diverts end-of-life tires from disposal while supporting road construction with recycled tire materials. According to the Road Commission, this year’s locally bid projects have used ground tire rubber modified asphalt, continuing work that began in 2018 through cooperation with Michigan Technological University and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. The program highlights how tire recycling can support infrastructure applications such as rubberized asphalt while creating a higher-value outlet for scrap tire rubber.

Scrap tire rubber used in county road paving

Road Commission Engineer Lance Malburg said all locally bid paving projects this year have used asphalt modified with scrap tire rubber. He noted that some of the rubber used in the roads may have come from vehicles that previously traveled on them, reflecting the circular economy potential of using recycled tire materials in road infrastructure.

Ground tire rubber modified asphalt is produced by incorporating processed rubber from scrap tires into asphalt mixtures. The material is often discussed as a way to increase demand for tire recycling products while improving selected pavement performance characteristics.

Rubberized asphalt linked to flexibility and durability

Malburg said the rubber improves pavement resilience and durability by increasing asphalt’s ability to flex under load and recover without cracking. He also said the material can help asphalt absorb forces that contribute to cracking, including cold-weather shrinkage forces that cause transverse cracking.

Although ground tire rubber modified asphalt is still considered experimental by many road agencies, including the Michigan Department of Transportation, Dickinson County Road Commission has adopted the technology for local projects and positioned itself as an early user of rubberized asphalt in the region.

Research partnerships support implementation

Dickinson County Road Commission has worked with Michigan Technological University and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy on research projects involving ground tire rubber modified asphalt since 2018. Officials said this work has helped the Road Commission build practical experience with the material and better understand how it performs in local road conditions.

Jim Harris, managing director of the Road Commission, said the county has benefited from cooperation with local contractor Bacco Construction and from the support of Professor Zhanping You and his team at Michigan Technological University. He said these partnerships helped make the county’s rubberized asphalt paving projects possible.

More than 47,000 tires diverted into roads

Before this year, Dickinson County Road Commission had constructed 10.5 miles of county roads using 231,798 pounds of ground tire rubber modified asphalt, saving an estimated 30,428 tires from landfills. This year, the Road Commission has added another 4.5 miles of roads using 135,486 pounds of rubber, equivalent to about 16,935 tires.

Combined with previous projects, Dickinson County has used the equivalent of 47,363 scrap tires in road construction. Malburg said the material has been recycled into longer-lasting asphalt roads instead of being sent to disposal.

Residents note quieter road surfaces

Harris said residents have also responded positively to the quieter road surface associated with the rubberized asphalt. Noise reduction is one of several performance attributes often discussed in connection with rubber-modified asphalt, alongside flexibility, crack resistance and potential durability benefits.

The Dickinson County projects show how local agencies can create practical markets for recycled tire rubber through road construction. Wider adoption of rubberized asphalt could support tire recycling, reduce scrap tire disposal and contribute to sustainability goals in pavement management, provided long-term performance continues to meet engineering and agency requirements.

Article source: Iron Mountain Daily News.