Joint Government
At their regular session Monday, the Hopkins County Commissioners Court agreed to enter an interlocal agreement with the City of Sulphur Springs for a joint project to test a road repair method using alternative paving material.
The material, known as mechanical concrete, is created from a process using old automotive tires. The sidewalls are removed using a special machine. The treads are fastened together and crushed rock, gravel or sand is poured over them. The desired road surface — gravel, concrete or asphalt — is then poured over the structures.
The old tire treads hold the crushed rock, gravel or sand in place in a roadbed.
The main advantages of the system include the surface’s high strength, low cost and eco-friendly elements.
The agreement will be in place for one year to test how effective the mechanical concrete material is for Hopkins County.
The two government entities will go in 50/50 on the $2,500 purchase of the special machine used to remove tire sidewalls. The city will provide storage and dumpsters, and the county plans to provide labor in the form of trustees from the county jail.
“It’ll be interesting to watch this,” said Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom.