ST. JOHNS, Mich. – In a partnership with the Clinton County Road Commission, the Michigan Soybean Committee (MSC) and the Soy Transportation Coalition (STC) supported the cost of applying a soybean oil-based asphalt enhancement product to a one-mile stretch of Colony Road near Fowler, Mich.

The product applied, BIORESTOR Asphalt Rejuvenator, is a restorative asphalt modifier that has been shown to increase pavement life cycles by up to 40 percent. BIORESTOR does not just top the asphalt, it penetrates to restore the pavement from within. It decreases the brittleness of asphalt pavement to improve the flexibility of the pavement thus decreasing cracking. Soybean oil is a key component of BIORESTOR.

MSC and STC farmer leaders are working to increase the use of soybean oil-based products in numerous infrastructure products, including those like BIORESTOR. Further development and use of concrete, asphalt and dust suppressants that are soy-based are ongoing. By using more bio-based products, we are crushing and using more soybean oil in our day-to-day lives. We are improving farmers’ return on investment by adding value and developing new markets for soybeans.

“Being able to improve the longevity of our rural infrastructure by utilizing a product derived from soybeans is a win-win scenario,” says Dan Rajzer, a soybean farmer from Decatur, Mich., and board member on the MSC and STC. “Through this demonstration project, we hope to encourage greater use of environmentally sustainable products like BIORESTOR that maintain our infrastructure and enhance farmer profitability. We look forward to further promoting this within the state of Michigan.”

According to Lisa Harris, owner of Roadway Bioseal, BIORESTOR is known for enhancing asphalt performance properties and longevity. Compared to transitional sealants, the pavement rejuvenator has also performed well in terms of visual appeal. At two-thirds the cost of the standard chip seal, the soybean-based rejuvenator was a great solution for Clinton County.

“It is a pleasure to partner with the Clinton County Road Commission because they are truly interested in using innovative products that improve their roads and extend pavement lifecycles,” Harris said. “BIORESTOR is a soy-based, eco-friendly product. The road commission made an excellent choice in treating asphalt at the beginning of its lifecycle on the Colony Road project since approximately 60 percent of pavement aging happens in the first two years after paving. They also made an excellent choice for farmers when they selected this renewable, soybean oil-based product.”

Doug Steffen, managing director of the Clinton County Road Commission, said, the commission “is always searching for new, innovative techniques to aid in the preservation of our roadway system. With the rising cost of construction materials, we are searching outside of the box to establish cost-effective treatments to prolong the service life of our investment.