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Transportation Board awards contract to pave 21 miles of Loop 101 and SR 51 with rubberized asphalt
A construction contract to pave 21 miles of Valley freeways with rubberized asphalt has been awarded, marking the first in a series of construction projects to provide quieter freeways and a resourceful use of old recycled tires.
The State Transportation Board, meeting in Douglas Friday (June 20), awarded a $5.5 million contract to FNF Construction, Inc., of Tempe to pave rubberized asphalt on 17 miles of the Loop 101 in Glendale, north Phoenix and Scottsdale plus 4 miles of State Route 51 in north Phoenix.
The areas of the Loop 101 to be paved are from Union Hills Drive to 31st Avenue, from 21st Avenue to Tatum Boulevard and from Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard to Mountain View Road. SR 51 will be paved with rubberized asphalt between Shea Boulevard and Bell Road.
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) says crews will begin paving a one-inch layer of rubberized asphalt on the Loop 101 and SR 51 freeways in September. Preliminary work to remove striping and prepare the pavement for the asphalt surfacing will start in August.
The key ingredient in rubberized asphalt is "crumb rubber," granules of shredded recycled tires. The crumb rubber is mixed with heated liquid asphalt and stones before being applied to a freeway as a one inch surface coat.
Noise readings have shown the rubberized asphalt generally reduces tire noise by 3 to 5 decibels.
The paving contract marks the first in a series of construction projects during the next three years to pave Valley freeways with rubberized asphalt. The entire Loop 101 and SR 51 freeways plus sections of Interstate 10, Interstate 17 and the Loop 202 Red Mountain and Santan freeways will be paved with rubberized asphalt.
ADOT has already applied rubberized asphalt to sections of I-17, Loop 101, SR 51 and the US 60 Superstition Freeway in the Valley.
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