The rubber has hit the road in Selwyn in a New Zealand-first trial of recycled rubber.
By Jonathan Leask, Local Democracy Reporter
On Friday, the first full rubber road surface was laid on a small stretch of road in Glentunnel, which sits on State Highway 77, 40km inland from Rolleston.
Almost 1800 tyres were used to create the rubber section of road.
Working with HEB Construction, the Selwyn District Council completed the installation on Glentunnel Domain R, using recycled rubber crumb made locally by Treadlite New Zealand.
The product replaces traditional gravel and bitumen.
It aims to reduce the country's reliance on imported materials while giving new life to tyres that would otherwise be landfilled or stockpiled.
Mayor Lydia Gliddon said that for the ratepayers, the rubberised roading trial poses the potential for long term savings due to its lower maintenance costs.
"Selwyn is always looking for fresh ideas that improve value for money and stronger results for our communities. We are determined to not just be building more infrastructure but building better, smarter infrastructure."
Glentunnel Domain Rd has been laid in three differently constructed sections to assess performance under New Zealand conditions.
Council Transportation delivery manager Steve Guy said that the small, quiet road was identified as the ideal trial location as it was susceptible to winter extremes with shading, a hill and corner.
The three sections include a rubber surface over a traditional aggregate base, a rubber‑modified asphalt developed by Isaac Construction, and a full rubber surface and base layer bound with a rubber‑modified agent.
International results show rubberised surfaces last longer, perform better in extreme weather, and create roads that are safer, smoother, and quieter for drivers, Guy said.
While these products have been used individually in other places in New Zealand, it is the first time they have been used together for a full road surface.
End of the road for tyres
More than 6 million tyres reach the end of their life in New Zealand each year, while around 180,000 tonnes of bitumen, almost all imported, is used on roads annually.
The trial will be monitored on a weekly basis and, if successful, it will be considered for a wider rollout.
Council infrastructure and property executive director Tim Mason said the trial is part of a wider strategy in how the council invests in infrastructure to support the districts’ rapid growth.
“This is about designing roads that last longer, cost less to maintain, and support local recycling and Kiwi‑made solutions.
“Rubber road technology is used increasingly around the world, and this trial gives us the opportunity to test how it performs in Selwyn conditions.”
The council will monitor the performance of all three sections.
If successful, rubberised surfacing could be rolled out more widely across the district.
Rubber roads at a glance
- 1359km of sealed roads are managed by Selwyn District Council
- 1797 tyres or 29 tonnes of rubber were used for Glentunnel Domain Rd
- About 1.1 tonnes CO2 are estimated to be saved per tonne of tyres recycled in rubber roads products used for Glentunnel Domain Rd
- 15,000 tonnes of chip aggregate used in Selwyn each year. Replacing 20% with rubber chip would recycle 3,000 tonnes of waste tyres annually
- 180,000 tonnes of bitumen imported to New Zealand annual. Replacing just 15% with rubber would use half the tyres that reach their end of life annually
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
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