This image shows the President and an Iraq vet amputee running on "Softwalk" which is a recycled rubber surface.
Posted on 11/20/2006 7:20:43 PM PST by 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.
at first I read it as "rubble" and was thinking that these
were in Detroit...
Golf shoes.
There are different types. The tiles or mats are preformed and shipped to location. They are moveable and might not always be suitable. There is also a poured solution. If you think about recreational surfaces it's not surprizing sidewalks will change. I would think this would be a great solution for driveways as well.
I heard that in GA, they grind up old peanut brittle and make side walks that are safe and delicious!!
There are a couple of parks with playgrounds where I take my granddaughters to play....and they have this rubber stuff by the playground equipment.
I love walking on it...it is just soft enough that it is so comfortable to walk on.
Looks pretty good, also.
in elementary school we found a rubber sidewalk in the playground, everyone stood around staring at it and laughing for the entire recess. Are we talking about the same thing?
". . . I heard that France grinds up nuclear spent rods and use them to build roads. Is this true?"
Think of how much energy we simplistic, Americans spend on lighting for our roads. On hte other hand, the French are sooooo much more insightful, wise and sophisticated that their roads are made to glow in the dark.
;-)
I read somewhere that in Europe their roads last much, much longer than ours because of the high content of rubber in the mix.
Would you know what type of trees these are?
They're alright to walk on, but I hate the way the soles of my shoes whine when I jog...
LOL!!
If you fall down on a rubber sidewalk, will you bounce back up?
Yes, that way they dont need street lights.
"Allow water and air to reach the tree roots"
Like tree roots don't grow in the direction of water?
Wait until a root grows up, makes an uneven spot in the rubber mat, and someone trips. Then, after it is 3 times as expensive to install, it will be 1000 times as expensive in terms of liability and litigation.
Dark material generates heat, causes global warming.
LOL.
Oh, my... I would love this. I've had the pleasure of running on one of those super expensive rubber tracks and it was absolute heaven on my knees and hips.
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