Troup County Partners with The Ray to Identify Optimal Asphalt Mix for Tom Hall Parkway

Troup County, Georgia and The Ray are excited to announce that the Tom Hall Parkway paving project will use recycled tires mixed into the asphalt to increase road durability and reduce road noise. The project will cover four lanes spanning one mile and use 3,280 tons of “rubberized” asphalt paving mix using rubber from scrap tires. The reuse of scrap tires reduces public health dangers such as tire fires and increased breeding grounds for mosquitos carrying disease.

Adding recycled tires to an asphalt mix comes at a 1.5% upfront cost increase, but extends the safe, useful life of the pavement by 15 to 20 percent.

This project is one of the first in the area. “With so many great things happening in Troup County, it is important for us to show our support for The Ray,” said Troup County Chairman Patrick Crews. “By using the recycled tire product in this road project, we are making two powerful statements. First, helping our environment by the use of this product is important to our citizens and this community. Second, The Ray is putting Troup County on the map around the world in their efforts to transform I-85. Since the Tom Hall Parkway is adjacent to the interstate and will be the gateway to our new Great Wolf development, Troup County Government is recognizing the importance of both projects to our community and state.”

The Ray is excited about this project and its potential as a reference point for the 2019 scheduled repaving of The Ray. “Quiet, durable and safe roads are just one of our missions on The Ray. We are taking discarded tires and converting them into road materials that can improve our environmental footprint,” said Harriet Anderson Langford, Founder and President of The Ray, “This crumb rubber paving project will benefit our community.”

The Tom Hall Parkway will be two miles long and cost $6 million. Paving is scheduled to start in August and be completed a few weeks later.