rubber sidewalks

Today I learned that Washington, DC is experimenting with rubber sidewalks. The article says that concrete sidewalks keep oxygen from getting into the dirt, so tree roots grow upward looking for air, which breaks up the sidewalks and costs the city money when people trip on them and sue. Sidewalks made of molded shredded tires come in sections with a little airspace between them, so the tree roots should grow like they're supposed to, and the sidewalk should last fourteen years around trees instead of around five. They're also sort of springy and look like concrete or granite, unless you're at a Walmart in Texas, where they have a red one.

The thing that bugs me about this article is that it describes what these sidewalks feel like and what they look like, but it doesn't discuss at all what they smell like. I know I've mentioned that I sometimes expect to see things in the newspaper that aren't there, but I kind of expect to know if sidewalks are going to gas me. It just seems newsworthy.

So, it says here that eighty cities in eight states are trying them, so if any of you happen to live anywhere near them, give 'em a sniff and let us know.