Editor note: The articles on page 4 & 5 are taken directly from the Government web site of Alberta, Canada. Some of the projects listed contained Asphalt-Rubber Chip Seals while others consisted of a gapgraded Asphalt-Rubber Hot Mix. The interest in Asphalt-Rubber started when members of the Alberta Recycling Management Authority of the Alberta Department of Transportation attended AR 2000 in Portugal. Later, along with city and county officials, the delegation visited Arizona for an RPA hosted workshop and a tour of projects. The Tire Recycling Management Authority is an Associate member of the RPA. Another RPA member, International Surfacing Systems supplied the Asphalt-Rubber Blending Equipment for the 2002 and 2003 projects. Photos supplied by International Surfacing Systems of Chandler, Arizona.

 

More rubber roads paved for Alberta    This year, 100,000 recycled tires are being used to pave about 30 kilometers of road with Asphalt-Rubber. The paving is part of a pilot project which has been underway since 2002 to determine if Asphalt-Rubber is viable for Alberta. Alberta is a leader in the field of Asphalt-Rubber and is the only province in Canada to actively test Asphalt- Rubber on its roads and highways. Asphalt-Rubber is a mixture of traditional asphalt cement, recycled tire crumb and aggregate. It has been used in various ways by several Photos supplied by International Surfacing Systems of Chandler, Arizona. countries over the last 15 years.   Other jurisdictions including California and Arizona use Asphalt-Rubber as a standard on their highways. In the long term, these pavements are known to have a longer life than traditional asphalt and require less repair work because of greater resistance to cracking and rutting. Rubber crumb pavement provides better traction, costs less to maintain and can reduce road noise. Results of the Alberta Asphalt-Rubber test sections have shown a significant reduction in road noise. However, results are mixed in the area of cracking and surface condition. One of the biggest challenges to asphalt rubber is Alberta's harsh winters and its large number of freeze-thaw days during spring which cause considerable stress to the pavement.    Since 1993, 30 million scrap tires have been recycled through Alberta's tire recycling program. The Alberta Recycling Management Authority of Alberta, which oversees this program, continually investigates new products and effective uses and products from recycled tires.    Since 2002, over 50 kilometres (including this year's projects) of road have been paved with asphalt rubber pavement.    For a CD with a short video on the Alberta Asphalt Rubber Project please contact Chuck McMillan at    (780) 415-4875 For further information contact:   Chuck McMillan Alberta Transportation (780) 415-4875  Doug Wright Alberta Recycling Management Authority (780) 990-1111   Peter Enslen City of Calgary (403) 268-5019  Hugh Donovan City of Edmonton (780) 496-4245  Bob Horton Strathcona County (780) 464-8175