WIC Student Takes on Potholes and Wins Gold

Feb. 11, 2015
by Rhonda Massad

Dollard des Ormeaux’s David Ballas came up with a solution to the treacherous pot hole problem facing us all for his grade nine science project at West Island College (WIC). He won the gold medal and will be continuing on to Montreal regionals hosted by Concordia University.

“My mother got a flat tire driving over a pot hole during the time we had been assigned our science project,” Ballas told The Suburban in an interview, “I wanted to come up with a solution to this ongoing issue. So I researched what possibilities could be used to make the roads more durable.”

Ballas’ research showed that if asphalt it s mixed with chicken feathers it becomes impermeable and he hopes all levels of government will take interest.

The way it works:

The asphalt is mixed with chicken feathers.  The chicken feathers act as a barrier to the water that would normally seep under the asphalt and cause the pot hole. The asphalt literally has feathers sticking out in some places.  Another layer of asphalt without chicken feathers would be layer as the final coat for a more pleasant appearance.

There are 5 million tons of feathers discarded each year that could be used to mix with the asphalt easily at a low cost.

“This is pretty simple and it would help towards saving  the environment,” Ballas said, “It would also save the taxpayers because the roads would last longer.”