Experimental asphalt road in Dickinson County performing well

DICKINSON CO., Mich. (WLUC) -After almost two years, an experimental asphalt road in Dickinson County is being monitored for performance. About one mile of Co. Road 607, in Breitung Township is made of an asphalt mix that uses pieces of old rubber tires.

Lance Malburg, the Dickinson County Road Commission engineer says the goal of this road, is to provide a smoother, quieter and longer lasting ROAD for drivers and he says that’s exactly what it has done.

“It’s not cracking, it’s not shoving it’s not rutting,” he added.

Over the past two years, Michigan Tech Students have been gathering results and samples, of this road, from different testing sites. Malburg says that has allowed the commission to further its understanding of ‘green technology’ and how it can be used in the future.

“We’re saving a lot of tires out of the landfill. This project was about 3,659 tires, that didn’t got to a landfill,” he explained.

He says the road construction was completed in June 2019, with help from the Michigan Department of Energy Great Lakes and the Environment (EGLE) and MTU. The road will continue to be monitored for 10 more years, specifically watching for cold weather cracking-- that means it already needs less maintenance.

The County Road 607 project even won an IMPRESS Award from the county road association of Michigan, which recognizes innovation.

Malbrug says the commission is now working to coordinate and fund another project, that would allow the experimental asphalt to be shipped cold instead of hot.

“It would save a lot of energy in the shipping and storing of the asphalt,” he explained.

However, Malburg says with results like this, from just two years rubberized asphalt could pave the way of the future.

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