Questions about the Rubberized Pavement Grant Program grant application are accepted in writing only, no later than August 20, 2026. Similar or related questions may be grouped together or reworded for clarity and responded to as one question.
All questions and answers will be posted during the application period and are subject to updates. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check this website for the latest information regarding this grant cycle.
General | Eligibility | Materials | Funding | Application
General
- I learned about the Rubberized Pavement Grant Program, and brought it to the attention of our staff climate specialist who expressed concern about the use of recycled tire paving, noting that tire rubber contains a slew of contaminants, from plastic and petroleum derivatives to heavy metals, and leaching is a serious concern. There is also some concern that rubberized asphalt can create an intense blaze (releasing those same contaminants) if it catches fire. There is no reference to the product’s environmental safety that I could find in the guidelines or on the website, so I’m wondering if you could point me to anything that discusses that.
Generally, the total amount of crumb rubber added to the mixture is relatively small. Standard asphalt pavement typically contains about 94% to 96% aggregate and 4% to 6% asphalt binder by total mixture weight. Crumb rubber is incorporated into the binder, usually making up about 15% to 22% of that binder fraction. As a result, the crumb rubber ultimately accounts for only about 0.6% to 1.3% of the total asphalt mix.
Both rubberized asphalt and conventional asphalt contain petroleum‑derived organics (including Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons or PAHs) and trace metals (e.g., zinc); controlled studies detect these constituents in leachate from both mix types.
Leaching & runoff (how much leaves the pavement):
- Zinc: Lab and field work on rubberized hot‑mix asphalt (RHMA) show a small initial zinc increase that declines to near‑zero within days; in real‑world settings, tire wear and galvanized hardware often contribute more zinc mass to runoff than the pavement surface itself.
- Organics/PAHs: Measured PAH releases from rubberized asphalt are low and diffusion‑controlled; multi‑mix testing found most organic/inorganic constituents in pavement leachate (rubberized and conventional) at or near reporting limits.
- Older chemistry notes: Early bench studies of crumb‑rubber asphalt identified benzothiazoles and some metals, but also showed attenuation via sorption/volatilization/biodegradation, limiting transport.
Fire behavior (intense blaze concern): Finished asphalt pavement (rubberized or not) has low flammability under normal conditions (NFPA 704 flammability = 1; requires preheating to ignite).
Current research on 6PPD‑Q and metals: CalRecycle and research partners have launched a multi‑year study to quantify any release of 6PPD‑quinone (6PPD-Q) and selected metals from different rubberized mixes (RHMA‑G, RHMA‑O, RHMA‑D, terminal‑blend) under varying aging and runoff temperatures, using controlled runoff apparatus and comparative HMA controls. Findings will inform future guidance once analyses are complete.
In summary, the amount of crumb rubber used in asphalt pavement is very limited and the constituents you’ve flagged exist in both conventional and rubberized asphalt, but available evidence indicates limited leaching from the pavement matrix and low inherent flammability in normal service. We will make the 6PPD‑Q research findings publicly available as soon as the study is completed.
- What month is the Notice to Proceed typically issued? I see that grants are awarded in December, but is the Notice to Proceed (NTP) issued the same month?
We anticipate sending out Grant Agreements for signature in January 2027. Once we have a “fully executed” Grant Agreement (meaning all parties signed the agreement), we will issue the NTP.
- Where do I find the Recycled end-of-life crumb rubber specifications and standards?
It is unclear if the potential applicant is seeking the specifications and standards for crumb rubber modifier (CRM) or rubberized asphalt concrete (RAC)/rubberized hot mix asphalt (RHMA).
- CRM: CRM is used in Asphalt Rubber Binder Chip Seal and RHMA. There are two material specifications for CRM, scrap tire crumb rubber and high natural scrap tire crumb rubber. The specification requirements for scrap tire crumb rubber and high natural scrap tire crumb rubber are listed in Section 37-2.04A(4)(C)(iii), Section 39-2.03A(4)(e)(ii)(C) and Section 92-1.02B of the Caltrans Standard Specifications.
- RAC/RHMA: There are multiple specifications for RAC/RHMA. Please visit our RAC web page at https://calrecycle.ca.gov/tires/rac/ where you can find links to the CalRecycle RAC Guide and various specifications (e.g., Caltrans and Greenbook).
- Our arterial repaving projects aren’t fully designed yet. Can the tonnage be a rough estimate?
Yes, applicants will need to include the estimated tonnage for the proposed projects for the street segments to be paved.
Eligibility
- Can you confirm how many Rubberized Asphalt Concrete (RAC) Hot-Mix and Rubberized Chip Seal (RCS) grants my city has received?
To determine the number of RAC and RCS grants a jurisdiction received, visit our web site under the CalRecycle Grants Database Reports and select your county and “Tire Recycling Grants” in the Grant Category menu. Please note that the list includes withdrawn grants that are included in the total number. If you have questions as to whether a previous grant was withdrawn and/or if you are unsure of your jurisdiction’s total number of previous grants, email TireGrants@calrecycle.ca.gov.
- If we have an active FY 2025–26 Rubberized Pavement Grant award, are we eligible to apply for the FY 2026–27 cycle?
Yes. CalRecycle removed the restriction that prevented grantees from applying the year following the award (consecutive fiscal years) as part of the Proposed Changes of the Request for Approval Criteria signed May 21, 2025. However, applicants who received funding in the previous fiscal year will be funded only after funding all eligible nonconsecutive year applications.
- Several of our park parking lots are in significant need of paving, and I’m inquiring if this would qualify under the program. Could you clarify whether parking lot paving qualifies as a “disability access at parks” project, particularly where the lot includes or connects to designated accessible parking spaces and accessible routes into the park? If a full lot repaving wouldn’t qualify on its own, would the accessible-access portion of the lot be eligible, and could that be combined with an eligible roadway or greenway project to help meet the program’s tonnage or square-yardage minimums?
Parking lots are eligible. However, CalRecycle does not recommend the use of gap-graded rubberized pavement in these applications due to the highly resilient nature of the material, which is more conducive to dynamic loading (roadways) instead of the static loading typically encountered in parking lots. Additionally, vehicles and heavy trucks making tight turns in a parking lot/alley will cause premature rutting and failure of the pavement. Applicants may combine these projects with roadway or greenway projects to satisfy the 2,000 tons minimum requirement of rubberized hot-mix material or 40,000 square yards of rubberized chip seal material.
- We have a walking trail in a neighborhood park that desperately needs resurfacing. Would repaving a walking trail be eligible under the Rubberized Pavement Grant Program?
Walking trails are eligible projects. However, trails are typically narrower and may have more angles than a street, which may be problematic for typical paving equipment. Also, this form of paving project will likely yield smaller tonnages and higher costs than streets. To be more cost effective, applicants may combine smaller projects with eligible roadway projects to satisfy the 2,000 tons minimum requirement of rubberized hot-mix material or 40,000 square yards of rubberized chip seal material.
- Does CalRecycle allow for a project to split the Asphalt Concrete (AC) needs between Asphalt Rubber Hot Mix (ARHM) and standard AC? We may opt to meet the minimum project grant quantities for ARHM, but may need to rely on conventional for the remainder balance of a pavement project to meet budgetary constraints. Would that be viewed negatively in consideration of our application?
Applicants may split the AC needs between ARHM and standard AC for a paving project. Combining projects with conventional AC will not be viewed negatively on the application. Applicants may combine eligible roadway projects to satisfy Program minimums.
- We came across the Rubberized Pavement Grant from CalRecycle and we think it’s a great opportunity for our small community to receive funding for critical needs. Before we apply, I wanted to ask a few questions.
- Courts: Do Hot-Mix Projects include sport court revitalizations? Our community tennis and basketball courts are both in dire need of repair.
- Alleyways: Our town has unpaved alleyways that residents and visitors use daily. They have never been paved and cause issues of flooding, gravel loss, etc. Are the alleyways eligible for this grant?
- ADA access and park spaces: Our basketball court is not currently ADA compliant (there’s a set of stairs down to court level) and many of our picnic areas have cracked concrete and gaps that make them difficult for disability access. Does this grant only fund the resurfacing of disability access projects, or could it cover the cost of constructing an ADA ramp in a place where one does not exist? We already have an approved plan from an engineer for the project; we just don’t have the funds or contractors to execute it.
Sports courts, alleyways and ADA access are eligible. However, these types of paving projects will likely yield smaller tonnage and will not satisfy the minimum requirement of 2,000 tons of rubberized hot-mix material. Construction of the ADA ramp is ineligible. Grant eligible costs are limited to the rubberized hot-mix and/or chip seal materials only.
- Do nonprofit organizations qualify for the Rubberized Pavement Grant?
Nonprofit organizations are not eligible for the Rubberized Pavement Grant Program. Refer to the Eligible Applicants Section of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
- Can a city apply for multiple arterial projects in one grant application?
Yes, applicants may apply for multiple projects in a single application, regardless of whether the projects are rubberized hot-mix, rubberized chip seal, or both. However, only one application per applicant will be considered for an award.
Materials
No questions at this time.
Funding
- Will local cities that do not meet the median income criteria be considered for funding? Does not meeting the medium income criteria place an applicant at the bottom of the prospective candidate pool, given, it is listed as the top prioritization criteria?
Yes, all cities will be considered for funding. Refer to the Grant Application Review Process of the Application and Guidelines and Instructions for prioritizing funding recommendations for eligible applicants.
- We paid $90 per ton of ARHM in the last project. If we are awarded a grant, will we only receive $30 per ton? So, only $30 of the $90 would be reimbursed, correct? Additionally, does this cover our yearly ongoing pavement projects?
The reimbursement rate is at a flat rate, as approved on the grant application. Refer to Table 1 Rubberized Pavement Grant Program Categories and Reimbursement Rates in the Application Guidelines and Instructions. If your project is eligible for RAC-1 and Tier 2, reimbursement will be $30 of the $90 per ton of ARHM. The grant covers project(s) indicated in the approved project summary calculation sheet.
- If a progress report is due and we’ve already completed some of the work, are we required to submit a payment request or can we wait to submit just one final payment request for the full amount at the end of the project when we submit the Final Report?
A payment request is not required with a progress report. A single final payment request may be submitted with the Final Report by the grant term end date.
Application
- If I submit a Resolution and the Signature Authority identified in the Resolution signs the Application Certification, then I don’t need to submit a Letter of Designation and/or a Letter of Commitment, correct?
Correct. If you submit a Resolution, a Letter of Designation (LOD) is optional if the Resolution gives the signature authority permission to designate their authority. Refer to the Letter of Designation section of the Application Guidelines and Instructions for letter requirements. A Letter of Commitment is not required if the applicant is subject to a governing body and board approval is required to legally bind the applicant. Refer to the Applicant’s Required Authorization Documents section of the Application Guidelines and Instructions for additional information regarding when a Resolution versus a Letter of Commitment is required.
- When our current Resolution expires, will we be sent a notification to submit a new one?
A current resolution is required by the application deadline for all eligible applicants. If the applicant is approved for a grant award and the resolution expires during the grant term, a Grant Manager will notify the Primary Contact before the resolution expires and request a new one before the grant term expiration.