When the Rubber Hits the Rubber

Old tyres that once drove along city streets are now on the receiving end of a different kind of traffic. As part of a pilot programme, the city of Chicago has replaced 170 metres (550 feet) of concrete footpath with a surface made from recycled rubber tyres.

City officials say that they want to see how this new material stands up to heavy foot traffic and the severe winters experienced in that part of the US. The experimental rubber footpaths cost more than those made of concrete, but they are made of 100 per cent recycled tyres and don’t crack the way concrete does. The rubber surface can be easily repaired or removed.