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Attention Cities and Counties
California is faced with the challenge
of diverting or safely managing more than 33,000,000 reusable
and waste tires generated in the state each year. Can you imagine
that many tires stacked up like a roll of lifesavers? That stack
would be over 5,208.34 miles high or if laid on the ground, circle
the borders of the state nearly TWICE!
Money Back For RAC
Now thanks to Senate Bill 1346 sponsored by
Senator Sheila Kuehl* in 2002, you can keep two scrap tires out
of the landfills or illegal piles and put $2.50 per ton back
in your treasury through the use of Asphalt-Rubber (RAC**) in
your paving projects. For more information on this grant program
to cities, counties, districts and other local agencies, please
contact the CIWMB at www.ciwmb.ca.gov
or your local RACTC centers at www.rubberizedasphalt.org.
Important Survey
SB 1346 also requires the CIWMB, in conjunction
with the RACTC, to create and update on an annual basis, a database
of public works projects that use RAC. The northern California
RACTC Program Director, Theron Roschen, has assembled a team
to lead this effort. Posting the database of RAC projects
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on the website will allow first time users to
contact their peers in neighboring jurisdictions about their
experience with RAC and expand the recycled tire market.
To facilitate data gathering for this effort,
Mactec (formerly Law- Crandall) has developed a survey form for
agencies, industry, associations and consultants which can be
found at www.rubberizedasphalt.
org/survey. If your jurisdiction has used RAC your participation
would be greatly appreciated. If you do not have access to the
website, please contact Andrew Brigg by phone (916) 331-9379
or by fax (916) 331-9284 to request the survey forms.
* Senator Kuehl is remembered by some as Zelda
Gilroy in "The Many Lives of Dobie Gillis." Prior to
her election to the Legislature, Senator Kuehl, a graduate of
Harvard Law School was a law professor at Loyola, UCLA and USC
law schools.
** California uses the term "Rubberized
Asphalt Concrete" however the most widely used rubberized
material falls under the ASTM definition of Asphalt-Rubber which
requires a minimum of 15% rubber.
Caltrans 15% RAC Directive
In January the Caltrans Director requested
that all Districts develop a program to increase the use of RAC
to 15%. According to Caltrans representative,
Linda Fong, all twelve districts have submitted
plans for their district's contribution to the Department's statewide
goal for rubberized asphalt pavement. Fong said, "The Department
is optimistic that the statewide goal set by the Director in
January will be met in the coming fiscal year but continues to
be cautious in light of potential budgetary issues."
She also announced the Department (Caltrans)
was recently granted funds from the California Integrated Waste
Management Board's (CIWMB) tire fee revenue to further research,
testing and training in the area of rubberized asphalt concrete.
Fong said, "The Department looks forward to a continued
partnership with CIWMB in helping them respond to the effort
to address California's waste tire issue." |
This
photo shows a dense graded AC pavement intersecting with an Asphalt-Rubber
gap-graded mix topped with an AR OGFC. Note the water standing
on the DG mix while the AR appears to be dry.