Statewide Recognition for Innovation in Infrastructure
Floyd County has received a 2026 Georgia County Excellence Award for its Rubber-Modified Asphalt Initiative, an innovative roadway program that transforms recycled tires into durable paving material. Floyd County recently completed two roadway projects using rubber modified asphalt that was supplied by Liberty Tire Recycling using recycled tires collected in Georgia. The award is presented jointly by the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) and Georgia Trend magazine and honors county programs that improve quality of life through creativity, efficiency, and responsible use of resources.
Floyd County was one of only six counties statewide to earn recognition and was honored during ACCG’s Annual Conference at the Savannah Convention Center in Chatham County.
“The Georgia County Excellence Awards is an annual program that recognizes the innovative spirit and ingenuity of Georgia’s counties and their leaders,” said ACCG Executive Director Dave Wills. “We are grateful to our partners at Georgia Trend for their continued efforts to acknowledge the outstanding work of our local governments.”
Turning Scrap Tires into Sustainable Roadways
The Rubber-Modified Asphalt Initiative grew out of two key challenges facing local governments: managing scrap tires and controlling rising road maintenance costs. Floyd County built on Georgia’s existing scrap tire program by partnering with local and regional recycling and tire companies to develop a more sustainable approach to roadway construction.
Liberty's SmartMIX Used in Floyd County, GA Road Paving Project
For a recent paving project, Liberty Tire Recycling’s rubber modified asphalt SmartMIX® was selected for use in Floyd County. SmartMIX allows recycled tire rubber to be incorporated as a dry-mix additive into conventional asphalt, improving pavement performance while diverting tires from the waste stream.
SmartMIX® is a cost-effective technology that matches the performance of other modified mixes but at a lower price point and with less waste. The additives cost up to 15% less per ton and allow up to a 50% reduction in modifier costs. Other benefits of using SmartMIX® are increasing the life of pavement, which further reduces maintenance needs and investments over time. From a sustainability standpoint, all tires included in SmartMIX® are recycled tires, and the technology materials are also 100% recyclable. SmartMIX® asphalt additives have fewer emissions than wet-processed rubber or polymer mixes and help eliminate product waste.
Easy Adoption for County Crews
Although rubber-modified asphalt was new to Floyd County, road crews reported that the material integrated smoothly into normal paving operations. County staff were encouraged to find that production and installation processes were comparable to traditional asphalt, allowing the work to be completed with existing equipment and in-house expertise.
“The neatest thing about this entire project is there is a good possibility that tires in this roadway came from Floyd County,” a project leader shared. “Knowing that we took tires out of the waste stream through our grant-funded amnesty efforts and helped recycle them into our roadways is a great outcome.”
Leadership and Long-Term Impact
Commissioner Allison Watters highlighted the collaborative nature and future potential of the initiative.
“It is such an honor for Floyd County to be recognized by ACCG and Georgia Trend for our work using rubber-modified asphalt,” Watters said. “What started as a casual conversation with Pirelli Tires evolved into a grant-funded opportunity to use recycled tires in an asphalt mix. I believe this has tremendous potential to improve roadways while using tires that would have gone to waste in a positive way.”
Key Takeaways
- Floyd County received a 2026 Georgia County Excellence Award from ACCG and Georgia Trend.
- The county’s Rubber-Modified Asphalt Initiative uses recycled tire materials to improve roadways.
- Liberty Tire Recycling’s SmartMIX® additive was used in a Floyd County paving project.
- The initiative was partly funded by the Georgia EPD’s Tire Products Grant Program.
- Pilot projects on Terhune Road and Rush Chapel Road demonstrated performance and feasibility.
- The program reduces waste, controls costs, and supports sustainable infrastructure practices.
Learn more about Liberty Tire Recycling's SmartMIX® here.
