Since 1992, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has awarded over 100 grants incorporating end-of-life tires into road construction, covering over 200 lane-miles. In 2024, an additional 70 lane-miles will be added. Kirsten Clemens, EGLE’s scrap tire coordinator, highlights the increasing use of end-of-life tires in these projects.

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Installation of rubber modified chip seal on 7 Mile Road in Bay County. | Photo by EGLE.

By the end of 2024, EGLE grants will have funded over 300 miles of rubber-modified pavement in 32 communities. EGLE collaborates with Michigan Department of Transportation, universities, and tire associations to enhance paving and recycle tires.

The grants have:

  • Provided funding for equipment to support scrap tire processors to recycle tires into material that can be used for roads.
  • Provided funding for specialized paving equipment.
  • Funded and supported scrap tire rubber research with three Michigan Universities (MTU, MSU & Lawrence Tech) and on two national test tracks (NRRA in Minnesota and NCAT in Alabama).
  • Partnered with the County Road Association of Michigan on a 2024 MDOT State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) grant.
  • Installed rubber modified asphalt or rubber surface treatment projects on roads in 24 of 83 counties, since 2018.

Current grantees include Entech, MTU, and various county road commissions.

EGLE’s Scrap Tire Program oversees end-of-life tire management, clean-up, and recycling, mitigating environmental and health hazards.

Read the full article to learn more.