RELEASE: McClellan Development Authority Receives a $653,424.12 Grant For Lake Yahou Park Paving Upgrades

ANNISTON, Ala—The McClellan Development Authority (MDA) will be paving the drives and parking lot at Lake Yahou Park using an asphalt mixture modified with recycled tire rubber derived from tire scraps as the recipient of a $653,424.12 grant from Alabama Department of Environmental Management. The project will be contracted to Wiregrass Construction Company, Inc. and will include a six-year evaluation from the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) at Auburn University.

“We are honored to be among the first in the state of Alabama to receive this grant for rubber-modified asphalt,” said Julie Moss, MDA Executive Director. “The MDA is always looking for ways to improve Lake Yahou Park, and this grant will make a huge impact in the park’s vehicle accessibility. We’re looking forward to working with Wiregrass Construction this spring and extend many thanks to ADEM for making this opportunity possible.”

The technology behind this paving project offers a host of benefits for Lake Yahou Park visitors. The tire-modified asphalt is not only environmentally conscious but also boasts reduced tire wear and a quieter, safer driving experience due to improved traction. The rubber-modified asphalt stands out amongst traditional asphalt in its durability, lasting longer and withstanding potholes and cracking. 

“What makes this project unique is our construction approach of using two different types of asphalt on the road,” said Brandon Owens, Vice President of Operations at Wiregrass. “One side will be paved with Superpave asphalt, while the other side will be paved with Ground Tire Rubber asphalt.”

By utilizing both types of asphalt on the same main drive in and out of Lake Yahou Park, Wiregrass Construction will ensure equal traffic distribution, facilitating an accurate comparison between the two surfaces throughout NCAT’s six-year study.

Carolina Rodezno, Associate Research Professor from the National Center for Asphalt Technology, said, “Projects like this [at McClellan] will allow the asphalt industry to gain experience with construction and performance to add to our knowledge base with rubber modified asphalt and support future implementation efforts.”

Owens added, “At Wiregrass Construction, we believe in the importance of reusing waste materials to create a more sustainable infrastructure. We are honored to be a part of this initiative and look forward to its positive impact.” 

The project began February 26, 2024. The full paving process will require Lake Yahou Park to be closed for approximately four weeks, dependent on weather, and advanced notice of the closures will be given on the MDA’s Facebook page.