Plastic roads may become the alternative to conventional road structure

Rotterdam already considers testing them out

Rotterdam already considers testing them out

A new type of road surface, called PlasticRoad, was invented by VolkerWessels, a Netherlands-based construction firm, and is considered to be a greener alternative to asphalt. According to the company, any type of plastic can be used, preventing it from ending up in the oceans. This product is still at the conceptual phase and has not yet been tested in a lab to check how it performs under different conditions. However, VolkerWessels believes it has numerous advantages compared to conventional roads, in terms of both construction and maintenance (it is estimated that the lifespan of roads will be tripled).

Rotterdam, a keen supporter of sustainable technology, has embraced the idea and has already announced that it is considering serving as a pilot for the project. “We’re very positive towards the developments around PlasticRoad,” said Jaap Peters, a representative of the city council’s engineering bureau. “Rotterdam is a city that is open to experiments and innovative adaptations in practice. We have a ‘street lab’ available where innovations like this can be tested’’, he added.

Characteristics

- Virtually maintenance-free, unaffected by corrosion and any type of weather

- Can handle temperatures from -40^oC to 80^oC

- Has reduced carbon footprint in comparison to asphalt

- Could be used when quiet road surfaces and heated roads are needed

- Easy to install due to prefabricated road parts shortening construction time

- Plastic roads are lighter, reducing the load on the ground, and hollow, making it easier to install cables and utility pipelines below the surface