Tire tread with reduced rolling resistance

A tire for a vehicle, comprising:

• a body including:
• a first tread shoulder and a second tread shoulder opposite to the first tread shoulder;
• a crown region between the first tread shoulder and the second tread shoulder;
• and
• a tread block within the crown region, the tread block including a plurality of sidewalls including opposing lateral sidewalls, an end surface extending between distal ends of the plurality of sidewalls, and a lateral dimension extending between the opposing lateral sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls;
• and
• a plate stiffening pier in the tread block having a stiffness greater than a stiffness of the tread block to reduce rolling resistance when the vehicle is in operation to improve fuel efficiency of the vehicle, the plate stiffening pier extending through a central region of the tread block and defining distinct fore and aft portions of the tread block separated by the plate stiffening pier, the plate stiffening pier including a distal end surface exposed at the end surface of the tread block and opposing transverse end surfaces exposed at the opposing lateral sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls of the tread block, the plate stiffening pier having opposing side surfaces that extend between the opposing transverse end surfaces, wherein the plate stiffening pier is solid such that a material of the plate stiffening pier extends uninterrupted in a thickness direction between the opposing side surfaces, and wherein the opposing side surfaces of the plate stiffening pier are in direct contact with the tread block.