Rubber Sidewalks Replacing Concrete In Some Cities

KFMB: San Diego, CA ^ | 11/20/06 | KFMB News 8

[jonesboheim]

From recycling electronics to shredding sensitive documents, now recycling old tires can become easily maintained sidewalks.

Sixty-five cities are reducing the number of old tires dumped in landfills. Companies shred them, bake the fine particles and the use the material for sidewalks.

These interlocking panels have cracks between them to allow water and air to reach tree roots, which delays the upward thrust of the roots. When the roots do rise, the panels will not break, making repair easier.

The cost of the rubber sidewalks is three times more than concrete, but in the long run it is less expensive because you spend less time repairing.

[jonesboheim]

Anyone seen these in their neighborhood yet???

[Disambiguator]

Son of Flubber.

[msnimje]

My knees would appreciate it if they would hurry up and do my neighborhood.

[Responsibility2nd]

Is this where the rubber meets the road?

Literally?

[nhoward14]

I refuse to walk on any rubber sidewalk in San Francisco.

[capt. norm]

When I was a kid I used to think it would be cool to have rubber highways and concrete tires.

Gimme a break...I was 8 years old at the time.

[verum ago]

does this mean the sidewalk can catch fire?

[PghBaldy]

Lawsuits on the way. I have heard people contend tires from cars cause health problems in inner cities.

[rottndog]

Huell Howser did a show on these. It seems like a good idea, however I wonder if they are heavy enough to stay in place. And if they are fairly light, I could see a problem with theft.

[Slump Tester]

This is a conspiracy. Big Rubber cannot be trusted!

[RedCell]

Anyone seen these in their neighborhood yet???

No, but they look pretty cool as flooring in that Bud Light commercial! ;-)

[Billthedrill]

We have some that replaced concrete in a little playground downtown. We'll see how well they winter, but they're sure comfortable to walk on.

[rottndog]

[gov_bean_ counter]

Finally, safe sidewalks.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Off topic, but I heard that France grinds up nuclear spent rods and use them to build roads. Is this true?

[aligncare]

ping

[Loud Mime]

I wonder what the sidewalks around University of Southern California will be like.....after all....their mascot is...

[Ditto]

I refuse to walk on any rubber sidewalk in San Francisco.

LOL. I guess you'ld need non-slip soles or tire chains or something. ;~))

[TChad]

These interlocking panels have cracks between them to allow water and air to reach tree roots, which delays the upward thrust of the roots.

Does this make sense? I thought roots grew toward their water source, so cracks should make the root problem (sorry) worse, not better. If for some reason the cracks help, why not make concrete sidewalks with similar cracks?

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I'd like to get some of these panels for my cellar floor.