EDMONTON, Alta. — Recycled tires are getting a second lease on life as part of the highway thanks to an experimental road-building technique in Alberta.

Recycled tire crumb is being applied as an additive to asphalt pavement in several stretches of Alberta highways. The tire crumb is thought to have a longer life than traditional asphalt, while providing greater resistance to cracking and rutting. It also provides better traction while costing less to maintain.

Alberta Transportation, the Tire Recycling Management Association of Alberta, the cities of Edmonton and Calgary, Strathcona County, the Alberta Roadbuilders, Husky Oil and the Heavy Construction Association are all partnering up for the experiment.

If the technology works as well as some expect, it could pave the way for future use in Alberta and elsewhere. The University of Alberta and EBA Engineering will be monitoring the performance of the rubber asphalt over the next two years.