SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb.-- Millions of plastic bags are giving an old road in South Sioux City a new look thanks to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's environmental engineering department.

A $500,000 grant from Nebraska Environmental Trust, with the expertise of UNL assistant professor Jamilla Teixeira, and a partnership with Hedquist, has enabled students to construct a 4,000-foot stretch of Foundry Road from a cutting-edge asphalt blend made from two million recycled plastic bags.

The first-of-its-kind road in Nebraska aims to reduce plastic waste while improving road durability.

Baylor Bestgen, a contributor with JEO, says, "We're taking a byproduct that's found in society everyday where America is using over 100 billion plastic bags a year, and so to incorporate waste like that for reuse, basically giving it a second life, is what makes this project so exciting."

The road was designed by Teixeira through research on waste plastics in asphalt materials while also combining Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement.

Teixeira received a $4,000 stipend with the College of Engineering Scholarship of Engagement Fellows to assist in projects such as this for sustainable infrastructure solutions within the community.

Teixeira says, "This is a pilot project, but it is an excellent opportunity to partner with a Nebraska community and test how the mixture will perform under the extreme weather conditions we have here."

While the project is unique to Nebraska, it's not new to the United States as Colorado and Wisconsin previously invested in asphalt made from shredded plastic. India also began this concept more than 25 years ago.

South Sioux City celebrated the paving of Foundry Road on June 11 at Siouxland Freedom Park.