I always love to hear about a new way to divert anything from landfills and the local Roofs to Roads Project has a great one. Collect tons of used asphalt shingles that have been removed from homes and other buildings and use them to pave a test road on North 63rd St in Boulder County.

The project, a first for Colorado, is being launched with funding from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Alternative Technology Program. In partnership with the Boulder County Transportation Department, Colorado Department of Transportation and 3R Roofing, the Roofs to Roads Project will pave a road using recycled asphalt tear-off shingles (RAS). The project will begin in February, 2009 and will use at least 500 tons of recycled shingles.

“Using RAS as a percentage of the hot mix asphalt (HMA) in the road composition greatly reduces C02 emissions associated with the virgin binder it replaces” says David Coddington, Director of the Roofs to Roads Project and President of 3R Roofing, LLC. Every ton of of virgin binder that is replaced with RAS eliminates 54,000 lbs. of CO2. Market analysis from Missouri show several years of high performance from these roads and a cost savings of over $1000 per mile.

The road is expected to be completed in the summer of 2009. If you want to know more, you can attend one of three seminars to be held for roofers, general contractors and other interested parties. Contact Roofs to Roads or 3R Roofing for the details.

Blog courtesy elephant’s realtor and now certified Eco Broker, Liz Benson!