Making the Case for Rubber Pavement

California citizens generate 32 million scrap tires each year and are expected to
generate more than 43 million scrap tires annually by 2020. Approximately six
million such tires currently sit in toxic scrap tire piles, even though state policy
discourages stockpiling and encourages both recycling and alternative uses. Several years ago, the nation’s largest waste tire pile, near Modesto, caught fire and burned for weeks, polluting the air and soil. Simply discouraging stockpiling is not enough and will not keep up with the ever-growing mountain of toxic waste scrap tires accumulating throughout California.

Assembly Bill (AB) 338, passed in January 2007, instructs Caltrans to gradually phase in the use of rubberized-asphalt concrete (RAC), which is made from crumb rubber derived from scrap tires, on state highway construction and repair projects. This law not only acts to reduce our state’s growing waste tire piles but will also result in substantial savings. Since RAC is more durable and has a significantly longer lifespan than conventional asphalt, AB 338 will eventually save the state $2 million or more each year.

To assist Caltrans meet the requirements of AB 338 and to support the California pavement program, CCIT works with the Rubber Pavements Association (http://www.rubberpavements.org/) to adopt rubber pavement strategies on California freeways. This ongoing work aids in transitioning to rubber pavement specifications as a Caltrans-wide standard.