AASHTO e-News, 1 December 2011
Rock is the primary component of pavement and significant energies go into mining, crushing, and hauling it to construction sites. By recycling the rock and other materials in the existing pavement for the same stretch of road, however, all of the energy needed to haul those heavy loads is eliminated. A recent article in the National Geographic by Marianne Lavelle offers a thorough discussion of the paving process and its effects on energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Of particular note is a finding that driving on a smooth road – regardless of which type of pavement – can mean a 2 to 5 percent improvement in fuel economy. We all want that!. More details here.