Mexico’s Secretaría de Infraestructura, Comunicaciones y Transportes is carrying out periodic conservation works on the federal highway 15 Morelia-Guadalajara using recycled materials, including ground rubber from end-of-life tires. The works are being carried out through Centro SICT Jalisco on isolated sections between kilometers 97+940 and 116+500, in the area between Jocotepec and El Molino. According to local reporting, the technique combines recycled asphalt pavement, known as RAP, with ground tire rubber to produce an asphalt mix designed to improve pavement resistance and durability. The project links road maintenance with tire recycling, rubber recycling and circular economy objectives by creating an infrastructure outlet for waste tire materials while improving the performance of the road surface.

Works cover sections between Jocotepec and El Molino

The road rehabilitation is taking place on isolated sections of the Morelia-Guadalajara federal highway, between kilometers 97+940 and 116+500. The area is located between the communities of Jocotepec and El Molino in Jalisco.

Centro SICT Jalisco is responsible for the works, which form part of periodic road conservation activities intended to improve pavement performance and maintain road service quality on the federal highway network.

Recycled asphalt pavement combined with ground tire rubber

The project uses RAP, a recycled asphalt pavement material recovered from existing road surfaces. This material is combined with ground rubber from end-of-life tires to create a modified asphalt mix.

The use of recycled tire rubber in asphalt can support better pavement flexibility, resistance and durability, depending on mix design and field conditions. It also gives recovered rubber from waste tires a practical end market in public infrastructure.

Rubberized asphalt supports circular economy goals

By incorporating ground tire rubber into pavement works, the project supports circular economy principles in road construction. Instead of treating discarded tires only as waste, the approach uses tire-derived material as an input for infrastructure maintenance.

For the tire recycling sector, road projects can provide an important outlet for crumb rubber and other recycled tire products. These applications can help reduce stockpiles, lower unmanaged disposal risks and create demand for materials recovered from end-of-life tires.

SICT links road performance and environmental benefits

SICT said the incorporation of recycled materials contributes both to pavement performance and environmental protection. The use of recovered pavement and tire rubber can reduce the need for virgin materials while supporting more sustainable road maintenance practices.

The technique is also presented as a way to improve resistance and extend service life. If applied successfully, similar approaches could be used in other road conservation projects where technical specifications, material availability and public procurement rules allow recycled rubber to be incorporated.

Project reflects wider interest in rubber-modified roads

The Morelia-Guadalajara works add to growing international interest in rubberized asphalt as a high-volume market for recycled tire rubber. Municipalities and road agencies in several countries are evaluating rubber-modified bitumen and related pavement systems as part of sustainability and circular infrastructure strategies.

For Mexico, the project shows how federal road maintenance can contribute to waste tire recovery by connecting end-of-life tire recycling with highway rehabilitation. The approach may help demonstrate the technical and environmental value of using recycled tire materials in asphalt infrastructure.

Article source: Mirada Informativa.