San Angelo Repurposes Used Tires for Road Paving

The Texas Department of Transportation utilized 135,389 recycled tires for local road projects in a sustainability initiative.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Car Maintenance

A close-up view of dark, coarse recycled rubber pellets resting on a freshly laid asphalt road surface. — The Texas Department of Transportation incorporated over 135,000 recycled tires into San Angelo infrastructure projects to improve pavement durability and reduce landfill waste. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you support using recycled materials like old tires in local road infrastructure projects?

The San Angelo District of the Texas Department of Transportation has successfully integrated 135,389 recycled tires into regional infrastructure projects. This effort to reduce landfill waste earned the district an Environmental Achievement Award.

Why it matters

Incorporating shredded tires into road surfaces aims to significantly improve pavement durability while addressing the challenge of managing millions of discarded tires annually. This practice also provides environmental benefits by reducing the volume of waste destined for disposal sites.

Road construction crews utilize shredded crumb rubber mixed with an asphalt binder to create rubber-modified asphalt. This material is designed to effectively reduce road noise while simultaneously lowering rolling resistance for passing vehicles.

The players

Texas Department of Transportation

This state agency is responsible for the planning, design, and maintenance of the statewide transportation infrastructure.

The details

The project involved shredding used tires into crumb rubber, which acts as a durable additive in the asphalt binder. This specialized paving technique, which dates back to the 1960s, serves to divert significant volumes of material from local landfills.

The rubber-modified asphalt technique has been in use since the 1960s.
The national tire reclamation rate reached 71% in 2021.
The national tire reclamation rate grew to 79% in 2023.
The national tire reclamation rate remained steady at 79% in 2025.

Roadmap

This initiative follows the positive trajectory of the national tire reclamation rate, which rose from 71% in 2021 to 79% by 2023. By adopting rubber-modified asphalt, the region aligns with broader civil engineering trends aimed at repurposing industrial waste into durable road surfaces.

Drivers in the area may experience improved driving conditions due to the enhanced durability of the new road surfaces. Additionally, the use of rubber-modified asphalt helps lower road noise levels and improves vehicle performance by reducing rolling resistance.

The takeaway

Using recycled materials for infrastructure is a proven way to divert waste from landfills while enhancing public utility. Drivers can appreciate how these engineering choices contribute to quieter, longer-lasting roads in their own communities.