A Michigan road project has used more than 7,000 scrap tires in rubber-modified asphalt to pave a 0.8-mile section of Ellsworth Road in Pittsfield Township, later earning national recognition for green construction. The project was carried out in Washtenaw County through a partnership involving the Washtenaw County Road Commission, Michigan Technological University and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. Cadillac Asphalt paved the section between the bridge over I-94 and Carpenter Road using asphalt containing ground tire rubber. In June 2026, EGLE said the project received the National Asphalt Pavement Association’s 2025 Quality in Construction Award in the Green Category, recognizing its use of recycled tire materials in pavement and its contribution to sustainable infrastructure.

Ellsworth Road project uses recycled tire rubber

The Ellsworth Road paving project used rubber-modified asphalt containing material from more than 7,000 scrap tires. The work covered approximately 0.8 miles of road in Pittsfield Township, between the I-94 bridge and Carpenter Road.

The project was designed as more than a standard paving job. The Washtenaw County Road Commission described it as part of a research partnership with Michigan Technological University and EGLE focused on using recycled tire materials in road construction.

Project receives national green construction award

EGLE announced in June 2026 that the Ellsworth Road project had received the National Asphalt Pavement Association’s 2025 Quality in Construction Award in the Green Category. The award recognized the project’s use of recycled tire materials in asphalt pavement while supporting sustainable infrastructure and pavement performance.

The recognition adds to Michigan’s efforts to build confidence in recycled tire materials and expand practical end markets for scrap tire rubber.

Michigan’s Scrap Tire Program supports market development

The project was supported by EGLE’s Scrap Tire Program, which helps fund cleanup and market development projects for scrap tires. The program is intended not only to remove old tire piles but also to support new uses for recovered rubber in Michigan’s circular economy.

EGLE has said Michigan generates more than 10 million scrap tires each year. The state is working to move these tires into applications such as rubber mulch, tire-derived fuel, road construction materials, aggregate for backfill and drainage systems, and components for new tires and plastic products.

Rubberized asphalt creates outlet for tire recycling

Rubber-modified asphalt is one of the key infrastructure uses for recycled tire rubber. Ground tire rubber can be incorporated into asphalt mixtures to create road surfaces that may offer durability, cracking resistance, rutting resistance and noise-reduction benefits, depending on mix design, road conditions and maintenance practices.

For tire recycling markets, road construction can provide a high-volume outlet for crumb rubber and other processed tire-derived materials. Projects such as Ellsworth Road help demonstrate how scrap tires can be converted from a disposal challenge into a useful construction input.

Research partnership tracks performance

The involvement of Michigan Technological University indicates that the project is also intended to generate performance data. Monitoring road sections using rubber-modified asphalt can help road agencies compare recycled rubber pavement with conventional materials and evaluate long-term performance.

Such evidence is important for wider adoption because highway departments and local road commissions often require performance data before specifying recycled tire rubber in pavement projects.

Award highlights circular infrastructure potential

The Ellsworth Road project shows how tire recycling, public infrastructure and green procurement can work together. By using thousands of scrap tires in road resurfacing, the project created demand for recycled rubber while reducing the volume of tires that might otherwise require disposal or lower-value recovery routes.

For municipalities and road agencies, the project provides another example of how rubberized asphalt can support sustainable construction. For the tire recycling sector, it demonstrates the importance of public-sector projects in building reliable markets for recycled tire materials.

Article source: Times of India.