What happens when thousands of worn-out tires reach the end of the road? In Michigan, some of them found their way back onto one. In 2025, more than 7,000 scrap tires were recycled into rubber-modified asphalt used on approximately 0.8 miles of Ellsworth Road in Pittsfield Township. According to the Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC), the project was designed to test how pavement containing recycled tire rubber performs compared with conventional asphalt. The unusual road experiment brought together WCRC, Michigan Technological University and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to explore a practical use for scrap tires while studying pavement performance.
The experiment later received national recognition. In June 2026, EGLE announced that the Ellsworth Road project had received the National Asphalt Pavement Association's 2025 Quality in Construction Award - Green Category, recognising its use of recycled tire materials in pavement while pursuing sustainable infrastructure and pavement performance.
Turning tires into roads
The idea behind the project was straightforward: instead of allowing old vehicle tires to become waste, some of their rubber could be processed and incorporated into asphalt. Ellsworth Road, which runs between Platt Road and Carpenter Road in Pittsfield Township, was selected for the project in 2025. WCRC describes the work as a mill-and-resurfacing project, but it was different from an ordinary road resurfacing because researchers were using the project to evaluate rubber-modified asphalt made from scrap tires. The rubberised material was used on approximately 0.8 miles of Ellsworth Road, specifically between the bridge over I-94 and Carpenter Road. More than 7,000 scrap tires were designated for recycling into the rubber-modified asphalt used for that portion. The approach also allowed researchers to make a direct comparison. A separate section of Ellsworth Road, between Platt Road and the bridge over I-94, received traditional asphalt. By having conventional and rubber-modified pavement on different portions of the same road, researchers could observe how the two materials perform over time.
Paving with recycled rubber
The construction work moved forward in August 2025. WCRC reported that Cadillac Asphalt, the project's contractor, completed paving Ellsworth Road on August 27. The agency specifically noted that the hot-mix asphalt used on designated sections included ground tire rubber. The purpose was not simply to dispose of old tires, but to study whether the modified material could offer improved durability and pavement performance. The project was funded through an EGLE grant and Michigan Transportation Funds. It brought together government agencies, researchers and industry partners to test a practical use for recycled tire material in transportation infrastructure. That distinction is important to the story. The tires were not simply placed underneath the road or used as a substitute for asphalt. Their rubber was incorporated into a rubberised hot-mix asphalt (RHMA) pavement mixture.
Why recycled tires matter
Scrap tires can be difficult to manage when they reach the end of their useful life. Finding large-scale applications for recycled tire rubber can therefore create another market for a material that might otherwise become waste. According to EGLE, using RHMA can help conserve natural resources, reduce emissions and landfill waste, while also potentially improving pavement longevity. The agency described the Ellsworth Road project as the first road in the greater Ann Arbor area to incorporate this type of rubberised material. The project is also part of a wider effort in Michigan to find useful applications for scrap tires. EGLE said its Scrap Tire Program provides grants aimed at developing markets for scrap tires and expanding the use of rubberised asphalt in paving.
From experiment to award
The Ellsworth Road project gained another milestone after construction. In 2026, EGLE announced that the project had received the 2025 Quality in Construction Award - Green Category from the National Asphalt Pavement Association. The award recognised the innovative use of rubber-modified asphalt containing recycled tire materials and its combination of pavement performance goals with sustainable infrastructure. For Michigan, the recognition highlights how an everyday waste problem can be connected with road construction. Rather than treating worn-out tires only as a disposal challenge, the Ellsworth Road project tested whether their rubber could become part of a functioning transportation system. The results of the ongoing comparison between the rubber-modified and traditional pavement will help determine the approach's effectiveness over time. If the recycled-rubber pavement performs well, the project could provide useful evidence for considering similar applications elsewhere. The experiment on 0.8 miles of Ellsworth Road therefore represents more than a single resurfacing project. It is an effort to test whether thousands of discarded tires can be redirected from the waste stream and given another purpose, this time beneath the wheels of Michigan drivers.
