FROM THE CITY-NEIGHBORHOOD E-NEWS November 2007

City Recycling Road Surface

Fort Worth has begun recycling road surface when repaving city streets. Over the next two months, crews will resurface 30 lane-miles of roadway using a technique that heats and levels the existing asphalt pavement. The result is a long-lasting road surface with less buildup and more strength.

Why do this?

This process uses less energy and fewer raw materials than conventional overlay methods. It also preserves existing pavement materials, ensures cost effectiveness, lowers environmental impact, reduces public inconvenience and provides long-term pavement performance.

How is it done?

Hot in-place recycling uses a unique, one-pass in-place process that reuses the existing deteriorated asphalt as a leveling course and then tops the roadway with a 1-inch layer of new hot-mix asphalt. The existing pavement is heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it's in a softened condition, it's scarified to a depth of 1 inch, and then a rejuvenating agent is applied and mixed in place. While the material remains at 225 degrees Fahrenheit, a 1-inch layer of new asphalt is placed over the recycled asphalt. What's unique is the same machine that does the scarification does the recycling and applies the new overlay simultaneously. The project is completed much faster, and the street is reopened to the public sooner.

The Texas Department of Transportation and other Texas cities also use this innovative technique in resurfacing applications.