Iowa has long been a leading producer of soybeans to feed a growing world. Now, those soybeans are being used to help rebuild roads. Soy pavement technology developed by Iowa State engineers helped fix 24 miles of rural roads in northeast Iowa. These roads were modified by using soybean oil polymers which reduce pavement cracking, lowered the cost for other materials, and eliminated the need for 40,000 barrels of crude oil. The soy-based pavement should even extend the life of the roads by 3 years or more.
