Glentunnel, New Zealand – A small stretch of road in the Selwyn District is making big waves, becoming the first in the country to be surfaced with recycled rubber. The innovative project, completed Friday on Glentunnel Domain Road, aims to reduce reliance on imported materials and provide a sustainable solution for New Zealand’s growing tyre waste problem.
The project utilized approximately 1,800 tyres, transforming them into a durable road surface. The Selwyn District Council partnered with HEB Construction to install the rubberized road, using crumb rubber locally produced by Treadlite New Zealand. This marks a significant step towards more sustainable infrastructure development in the region, potentially offering long-term cost savings through reduced maintenance, according to local officials.
“Selwyn is always looking for fresh ideas that improve value for money and stronger results for our communities,” said Mayor Lydia Gliddon. “We are determined to not just be building more infrastructure but building better, smarter infrastructure.” The rubberized road surface replaces traditional gravel and bitumen, addressing both environmental concerns and potential economic benefits.
The trial installation isn’t a single approach, but rather three distinct sections constructed to assess performance under varying New Zealand conditions. These include a rubber surface over a traditional aggregate base, a rubber-modified asphalt developed by Isaac Construction, and a full rubber surface and base layer bound with a rubber-modified agent. Council Transportation delivery manager Steve Guy explained that Glentunnel Domain Road was chosen as the ideal trial location due to its susceptibility to winter extremes, including shading, a hill, and a corner.
Addressing New Zealand’s Tyre and Bitumen Challenges
New Zealand faces a significant challenge with complete-of-life tyres, with over 6 million reaching the end of their usable life each year. Simultaneously, the country imports around 180,000 tonnes of bitumen annually, a key component in traditional road construction, according to council data. This project offers a potential solution to both issues, diverting waste from landfills and reducing the demand for imported materials.
The use of recycled rubber in road construction isn’t entirely new globally, but this installation represents the first time these technologies have been combined for a full road surface in New Zealand. International results suggest that rubberized surfaces offer increased longevity, improved performance in extreme weather, and a safer, smoother, and quieter driving experience, Guy said.
The Selwyn District Council is managing 1,359km of sealed roads, and this trial could pave the way for wider adoption of rubberized surfacing across the district if successful. Approximately 29 tonnes of rubber, sourced from 1797 tyres, were used for the Glentunnel Domain Road trial. The council estimates that using rubber in road construction could also lead to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, with approximately 1.1 tonnes of CO2 saved per tonne of tyres recycled in the rubber road products used for this project.
Further, the council estimates that replacing 20% of the 15,000 tonnes of chip aggregate used annually in Selwyn with rubber chip could recycle 3,000 tonnes of waste tyres each year. Replacing just 15% of the 180,000 tonnes of bitumen imported annually with rubber could utilize half of the tyres reaching their end of life.
The trial will be closely monitored on a weekly basis, and the council will assess the performance of all three constructed sections. Council infrastructure and property executive director Tim Mason emphasized that this initiative is part of a broader infrastructure strategy focused on supporting the district’s rapid growth. “This represents about designing roads that last longer, cost less to maintain, and support local recycling and Kiwi-made solutions,” he stated.
The project is co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air as part of Local Democracy Reporting.
What comes next will depend on the data collected from this trial. The Selwyn District Council will analyze the performance of the rubber road surface to determine its suitability for wider implementation. This innovative approach to road construction could represent a significant step towards a more sustainable and resilient infrastructure network in New Zealand.
What are your thoughts on this innovative approach to road construction? Share your comments below and help us continue the conversation.
