An experimental road is being laid next week at Ridley Creek State Park using recycled plastics, writes Pete Bannan for the Daily Times.

Most of the park road will be closed next week, but will be open weekends.

South Sandy Flash Drive from Gradyville Road will use a mixture of asphalt and recycled plastic.

Two sections, at the entrance and near Pavilion 14, will use plastic beads mixture made from plastic bags and asphalt. The rest of the road will be paved with a standard asphalt mixture so the two surfaces can be compared.

The plastic beads won’t leach into ground soil. It makes the surface last longer meaning less maintenance.

 “This is a very welcomed project, we are very excited about it,” said Ridley Creek State Park Manager Alexa Rose.

About one million visitors use the park each year, traveling on roads that are the originals from the park’s opening in 1972.

“This pilot project is yet another example of how environmental benefits often go hand-in-hand with transportation needs,” said PennDOT Acting Deputy Secretary for Highway Administration Mike Keiser.

The hope is to extend the use of asphalt while diverting plastics from landfills.

Read more at the Daily Times about the repaving experiment.