Pennsylvania DPT Looks to Use Recycled Asphalt

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation plans to use recycled asphalt to pave the last two state roads made of dirt in Columbia County.

Brian Toseki, the manager at PennDOT's Columbia County office in Buckhorn, said reusing old asphalt removed from other roads is cheaper than new asphalt. The use of recycled asphalt on Ants Hill Road and Spruce Run in Madison Township should save hundreds of thousands of dollars, Toseki said.

The problem with recycled asphalt is that the quality is not as high as new asphalt. But Toseki said on little-used roads, the lower quality pavement should hold up for some time, and it will be easier to drive on than a dirt road.

"We expect to get a fairly good life out of it," Toseki said. "Once you get that base, you can do a lot of things on it. Down the road, you can seal-coat it or oil and chip."

This fall, a contractor hired by PENNDOT will transform 10,000 tons of asphalt removed from the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80.

According to local press reports, the project is expected to begin in September and take several weeks to complete.