In addition to new sidewalks, new trees and new art installations, Southland Drive will also soon be getting a 2,400-foot stretch of roadway paved with environmentally friendly rubberized asphalt.
The project, funded through a $98,850 grant from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, will be used as a test by the city to evaluate the material's effectiveness as road surfacing. Rubberized asphalt consists of regular asphalt mixed with crumb rubber made from recycled tires. Asphalt rubber is the largest single market for ground rubber in the United States, consuming roughly 12 million tires annually. The grant money was generated by the state through a $2-per-tire recycle fee paid on new tire purchases.
“Getting rid of used tires is a huge problem globally and if recycling used rubber into asphalt works as advertised, it will be a win for the environment and everyone,” says Rob Allen, Lexington's streets and roads director.
Rubberized asphalt is reported to be more durable, while also providing a quieter ride. Allen said he hopes that both assertions are true.
“If the noise reduction claim holds true, we may look at using more rubberized asphalt in residential areas in the future,” he said.
All of Southland Drive is scheduled for repaving after the corridor's sidewalk project is completed. The section from Nicholasville Road to the railroad overpass will be paved using rubberized asphalt, according to a release from the city, while the rest of the roadway, to its intersection with Rosemont Garden, will be paved using conventional asphalt.
“Our roadway maintenance software picked Southland Drive for resurfacing this year based on its overall condition score,” Allen said. “The road was a good candidate because we want to compare the two types of asphalt, and the railroad overpass makes a great divider. Plus, traffic counts are almost uniform along the entire road.”
The grant requires the city to monitor the roadway for five years and to record how well it fares against regular asphalt. Studies in other states have shown that rubberized asphalt lasts longer than conventional asphalt, which costs less.
“There is an increased cost for the rubberized asphalt additive, so I think everyone is interested in the rate of return,” Allen said. “We need to know: Is it a break-even cost? And if so, do the environmental benefits outweigh the costs?”