Rubber hits the road in spray resealing project

Published on 08 February 2021

The City of Launceston will this week begin work on a $220,000 spray reseal of Lilydale Road, between Barnards Road and Underwood Road, using a mix of recycled crumb rubber and bitumen.

The crumb rubber bitumen is manufactured from recycled car and truck tyres, and a 2.8km section of Lilydale Road will be resealed with it this week, weather depending.

While the City of Launceston has used recycled glass in road sealing projects before, this project will represent the first use of crumb rubber bitumen in the municipality.

The Council has used recycled glass instead of sand on numerous road-sealing projects since 2013, when it first trialled a recycled glass and bitumen mix on a resealing project at Relbia's Glenwood Rd.

Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten said the Lilydale Road reseal project was part of the Council's $40m Accelerated Capital Works Program. "Using crumb rubber in bitumen is an excellent use for old car and truck tyres and diverts them away from landfill," Mayor van Zetten said.

"It requires less crude oil in the binder which is also better for the environment.

"Weather depending, we are hoping to complete the resealing works this week, followed by new line marking next week."

Traffic management will be in place throughout the duration of works.

While disruptions will be minimised to road users wherever possible, motorists are advised that short delays may occur while the work is carried out.