SAN ANTONIO – Local drivers see pothole problems on our streets each day, and now Bexar County is operating on some way for an more straightforward and more secure repair on our roads.
Bexar County is the primary within the nation to use carbon-sequestered asphalt on public roads. The carbon has been stripped from herbal gasoline into asphalt for side road use. It’s the primary carbon-sequestered asphalt undertaking of its type, in accordance to Modern Hydrogen.
“We are actually sequestering carbon in asphalt. A lot of people talk about getting CO2 out of the atmosphere, and we’re actually doing it,” mentioned Mothusi Pahl, vp of Business Development and Government Affairs at Modern Hydrogen.
A workforce were given an up-close take a look at the asphalt in motion right through a Bexar County Public Works Department demonstration on Old Fredericksburg Road between Ralph Fair Road and Farenthold Circle.
“Natural gas is really a core part of our lives. The problem is that when we burn natural gas, we release a lot of CO2 into the atmosphere. So, modern technology strips the carbon out of natural gas before you burn it, which means that you’ve got a cleaner fuel or decarbonized natural gas — DNG — that you can now burn and use just like you would normal natural gas,” mentioned Pahl. “In our case, we take the carbon that’s removed from natural gas, we process it and it actually makes asphalt stronger.”
Bexar County teamed up with Modern Hydrogen and Road Recyclers for a six-month pilot program. The asphalt might be used to patch up potholes on more than a few public roads. Austin-based Road Recyclers is offering the asphalt for the Bexar County PWD to do that deployment.
“It’s going to last longer, and we won’t have to come out as many times to patch it up. Drivers will have less inconvenience because the road won’t be blocked as much,” mentioned Tony Vasquez, Bexar County Public Works Department Chief. “We will be using the product with no additional cost to the county.”
“What you’re seeing here is the very first time this material has been put down on a public roadway, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been extensively studied. We did mixes, trial runs, made sure it met the established criteria for a patch of this kind,” mentioned Shane McDade, president of Road Recyclers. “Everybody wants to look at cost savings. Everybody has to look at speed and constructability of a way to maintain their roads.”
Crews may have months to lay down and review the asphalt, however Vasquez mentioned there’s no indication it is going to no longer be used after that time period.
“We’re always trying new products that are eco-friendly, that will help the environment and help air quality,” mentioned Vasquez.
“You can get a stronger road with a lower CO2 footprint and do it at the same price. That’s a slam dunk for everybody,” mentioned Pahl.
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