Kentucky is seeking grant applications for local road projects utilizing rubber-modified asphalt

Frankfort, KY – The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet is seeking grant applications from county or metro-government entities for local road projects that utilize rubber-modified asphalt, which uses rubber from finely ground waste tires.

Applications must be received by April 1, 2021.

“The division is excited to offer these grants to Kentucky counties,” said Tammi Hudson,” director of the Division of Waste Management. “Rubber-modified asphalt can be a cost-effective, performance-enhancing additive for county paving projects, and improve end-use markets for recycled tires, which can lead to better waste tire management across the commonwealth.”

Counties or metro governments can apply for funding for either chip seal or thin asphalt overlay projects. Chip seal is a pavement surface treatment that combines one or more layers of liquid asphalt with one or more layers of fine aggregate. Asphalt overlay consists of a new layer of asphalt applied over an existing road surface. Rubber-modified asphalt can reduce road noise and long-term maintenance costs and increase the life of the roadway.

The money for these projects comes from the Kentucky Waste Tire Trust Fund, which receives $2 from every new tire sold in the commonwealth. In addition to promoting the development of markets for recycled waste tires, the fund also pays for waste tire collection events, tire dumpsite clean-ups and grants for counties to manage waste tires.

The cabinet will be performing testing and long-term monitoring to assess the effectiveness of rubber-modified asphalt in Kentucky. As a condition of the grant funding, counties will agree to pay for the application of conventional chip seal or thin overlay on a road in their county with similar characteristics, to allow for comparison between conventional and rubber-modified asphalt.