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"You have one machine burning 25 gph in fuel," Johnson points out. This is much cheaper than the equipment needed to completely remove the road and haul it away. "Go calculate out 10 trucks, another machine, plus everything else."

The trucking costs alone add up quickly. "I understand that it now costs about $.72 to $.85 a mile just for fuel to run a truck," says Martin. "Plus, it is not just the fuel. You have the labor, the tires and the oil. You save a lot by not moving that material around."

FDR has been around for well over 20 years, so the opportunities really depend on your region. But according to Edwards, "We are still at the tip of the iceberg as far as the market potential. A lot of these DOTs, especially in North and South Carolina... have just thousands of miles of secondary roads."

Yet, despite the potential cost savings, not all DOTs are ready to jump on the FDR bandwagon.

"It is beneficial for a contractor to add a reclaimer/stabilizer when there is a slow-down in the asphalt paving business and increased interest in the recycling/stabilizing area," says Tim Kowalski, recycling project manager, Wirtgen America. "But it is more than just buying a machine. There is a lot of educating of people that needs to be done before it is just accepted.