Project background
The Alpine Shire Council surfaced the 16km Great Valley Trail with an asphalt containing 15% recycled rubber and glass. The shared trail completes a 27-kilometre link between Harrietville and Bright, extending the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail to the base of the Alps.
Traditional practice has been to spray seal the path, but this method does not allow the use of recycled materials in the same proportions as recycled content asphalt. The new surface contains 355 tonnes of recycled rubber and finely crushed glass that would otherwise end up in landfill.
This project has provided Alpine Shire Council with the opportunity to use a new product in a location where its performance can be evaluated, and the prospect of this product becoming the standard treatment for the shire's entire path network. It is also a first step towards the council considering this type of product for its road network, which would see a substantial use of recyclable material and contribute towards Victoria's transition to a circular economy.
This project demonstrates the circular economy at work - rubber and glass are diverted from landfill and used to improve the longevity and performance of infrastructure.
