# Rubber Roads???? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 28, 2014, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubber-roads/682463 "2014-02-28T00:02:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dirk\_001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f475e1/32.png) [@dirk\_001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirk_001)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubber-roads/682463/1 "2014-02-28T00:02:06Z")
Hey Cecil! This may be a really dumb question but…Could they use old rubber tires to reinforce…or something…the roads? Is there ANY logical use for old tires? Thanks! Dirk ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubber-roads/682463/2 "2014-02-28T01:01:30Z")
[Tire recycling uses](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_recycling#Uses) ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubber-roads/682463/3 "2014-02-28T01:27:48Z")
[It’s been looked into](http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/97148/st3.cfm), but it looks like there hasn’t been much progress. [Used for embankments](http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/97148/st4.cfm), sound like there is a problem with it starting on fire sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubber-roads/682463/4 "2014-02-28T01:31:42Z")
In our minesite before, they lined the driveway and repair areas for the big haulpacks (giant trucks) with old rubber conveyor belts. The engineers explained it was to minimize the risk of a tire puncture while there were lots of people around. A haulpack’s giant tire could kill someone up close if it blows. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubber-roads/682463/5 "2014-02-28T01:50:11Z")
Rubberized asphalt – regular asphalt mixed with ground up rubber bits – has been used in road building for some 20 years now. From Arizona Department of Transportation: [Quiet Pavement Program](http://www.azdot.gov/business/environmental-services-and-planning/programs) More uses for ground rubber, straight from the EPA: [Ground Rubber Applications](http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/tires/ground.htm) Wikipedia page: [Rubberized asphalt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubberized_asphalt) ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubber-roads/682463/6 "2014-02-28T15:41:06Z")
On the UK’s first toll motorway the builders used 1 million copies of Mills & Boon romance novels to strengthen the ashphalt. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Milton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6bbea6/32.png) [@Mr.Milton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Milton)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubber-roads/682463/7 "2014-02-28T16:03:25Z")
[http://http://www.roofery.com/shingles/shingles-made-from-recyled-tires.html](http://http://www.roofery.com/shingles/shingles-made-from-recyled-tires.html) There is --or used to be-- a company that make shingles that looked exactly like the old slate shingles out of recycled tires. The recycled tire version would be much lighter than slate, meaning they could be used on pretty much any roof without reinforcing the structure underneath (which would be expensive). IIRC, they had a 50 year warranty. Some “composite” shingles today only have 15 years. A durable roof like that is big plus when you go to sell your home, as well as providing a lot of peace of mind in between. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubber-roads/682463/8 "2014-02-28T16:21:35Z")
> [@Wallenstein](#): > > On the UK’s first toll motorway the builders used 1 million copies of Mills & Boon romance novels to strengthen the ashphalt. There’s something that just, er, poetic about that. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubber-roads/682463/9 "2014-02-28T16:44:39Z")
Uncle Ho Chi Minh’s combat boots? > **[Tire Sandals](https://www.instructables.com/Tire-Sandals/)** > > Tire Sandals: > I have a couple other Instructables published, but I am really excited about getting this little one out there as it has information I haven’t seen elsewhere.  It is a brief instruction on my version of making tire sandals or...