City Leaders Question Cost Of Rubber Sidewalks

A new sidewalk in Charlotte is environmentally-friendly, but city leaders are questioning the cost.

The new stretch of sidewalk on The Plaza is made of rubber from recycled tires. Transportation officials said it will help keep water out of the roads and not buckle to growing tree roots.

But the rubber costs four times more than regular concrete.

"If they told me that, ‘We've got a new sidewalk that's going to cost four times more than concrete. What do you think about us testing it?’ I'd have told them to save their breath,” said City Councilman Andy Dulin.

The Charlotte Department of Transportation didn't need the council's approval for the project. CDOT officials said it cost $8,000 to test the material.

They said they'll evaluate the sidewalk during the next year.