RGA: In-place recycling cuts project time by 40%, maintenance costs by 26%

RIYADH —In-place pavement recycling equipment reduces maintenance costs by about 26 percent and shortens project timelines by about 40 percent, according to the Roads General Authority (RGA). The technology is part of the authority's efforts to improve spending efficiency, road quality, and safety.

The equipment mills, recycles, and relays asphalt using water rather than heat. This lowers energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions and helps conserve natural resources, the authority said.

The process involves four stages: milling the top layer of asphalt to a depth of 5 to 10 centimeters, mixing it with other materials for recycling, relaying and leveling it, and then compacting and smoothing it for use.

The authority said the work supports the goals of the Road Sector Program, which include reducing road deaths to fewer than five per 100,000 people, bringing the network up to International Road Assessment Program (iRAP) safety standards, and maintaining high service levels.