Contact: Bev McCullough (209) 577-5495
No. 08-197
July 2, 2008

Put a Bounce in Your Step!

City Installs Rubber Sidewalk

The City of Modesto is currently installing rubber sidewalk along Plaza Parkway. The California Integrated Waste Management Board awarded the City a $51,300 grant which will pay for 11,400-square-feet of cement sidewalk ruined by severe tree root damage, the first half of which will be the replacement sidewalk along Plaza Parkway.

Made from California recycled waste tires, the rubber sidewalk consists of “tiles.” The “tiles” link together to create a bouncy and skid-resistant sidewalk. Unlike cement, “tiles” can be removed for root maintenance and then reinstalled. The flexible nature of the rubber sidewalk makes them more user-friendly than standard cement sidewalks. The project is expected to be completed by the end of July.

This project is a great example of “closing the loop” on recycling.  The City of Modesto collects waste tires from residents and sends them to a recycler.  The recycler then process the tires into small chips and sells the chips as “feedstock” to manufacturers to make products.  The manufacturer of this product buys its “feedstock” from Modesto’s recycler.  Finally, the City of Modesto purchased the new product and thus “closed the loop” on recycling! 

For more information on the rubber sidewalk project, please contact Bev McCullough at (209) 577-5495 or bmccullough@modestogov.com.

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To contact the City of Modesto Public Information Office, 
call Jessica Smart at (209) 571-5125. Email: jsmart@modestogov.com