Jogger's delight

WASHINGTON -- The nation's capital and dozens of other communities across the country are installing rubber pavements made of ground-up tyres. Officials say they're safer and easier to maintain.

The rubber squares, up to three times more costly than concrete slabs, last longer because they aren't cracked by tree roots or freezing weather. And officials hope that more even pavement will lead to fewer slip-and-fall lawsuits.

The shock-absorbing surface also happens to be easier on the joints of joggers and more forgiving when someone takes a spill.

Rubber pavements are also considered environmentally friendly. They offer a way to recycle some of the estimated 290 million tyres discarded each year in the U.S.