Michigan used 7,000+ recycled tires in Ellsworth Road paving; the project later won a national award

Representative Image (AI-generated) What happens when thousands of worn-out tires reach the end of the road? In Michigan, some of them found their way back onto one. In 2025, more than 7,000 scrap tires were recycled into rubber-modified asphalt used on approximately 0.8 miles of Ellsworth Road in Pittsfield Township. According to the Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC), the project was designed to test how pavement containing recycled tire rubber performs compared with conventional asphalt. The unusual road experiment brought together WCRC, Michigan Technological University and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to explore a practical use for scrap tires while studying pavement performance.The experiment later received national recognition. In June 2026, EGLE announced that the Ellsworth Road project had received the National Asphalt Pavement Association's 2025 Quality in Construction Award - Green Category, recognising its use of recycled tire materials in pavement while pursuing sustainable infrastructure and pavement performance.Turning tires into roadsThe idea behind the project was straightforward: instead of allowing old vehicle tires ...