Government

Old tires could build pothole-resistant roads, solve disposal problem

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By ASHLEY WEIGEL
Capital News Service
LANSING — Old tires may pave the way for new Michigan road repairs. Gov. Rick Snyder proposed spending $1.3 billion on road repairs in his first State of the State Address in 2011.  So far, no one has found that kind of funding. But the Muskegon County Road Commission and other groups are investigating how to more cheaply fix Michigan roads with tires in a way that benefits the entire state. The advantages: repairs can be cheaper, make roads more pothole-resistant and help the state get rid of a tire disposal headache. The Muskegon County Road Commission won a $327,513 grant from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s scrap tire market development grant to explore the solution.

Business & Economy

Old tires make new sandals, new jobs

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By KAM MOORE
Capital News Service
LANSING — A collaboration between a 131-year old nonprofit group and University of Michigan students may result in a recycled product that employs Detroit’s homeless. During the Great Depression, members of Cass Community Social Services served hot meals to families in need. More recently, the organization teamed with U of M students to design a product that’s easy to make from recyclable materials. The result: Treads Motor City Sandals, a small business that could employ and support its customers and the jobless in the city. Using old tires and recyclable materials, future employees will follow the method developed by the design students to produce the sandals.