I remember reading an article so similar to this a while back, and I'm so glad I found it again. In Sagle, Idaho, there's a 53 year old electrical engineer named Scott Brusaw who thinks he has a solution to driving in bad weather conditions. He thought of an idea for a solar powered road made from strong glass instead of asphalt or concrete.
These glass pannels would be pieced togehter and would collect energy from the sun. It could display lines, warnings, and other messages on the roads without having to go over with trucks and paint. It would also eliminate the need for a lot of snow removal equipment, including plows and salt trucks. If these roadways become big across our country, it is believed that it could "eventually generage clean electricity around the world, eliminating the need for fossil fuels and saving the planet from global climate change" (Patterson, CNN)
There was another idea across the country similar to this but a little bit more of a simple concept. Instead of glass, they are trying to develop stronger, heat-absorbing pavements with half-inch pipes filled with fluids that resists freezing in each of them. This invention would pay for itself in energy production and savings in just 6 years.
It is also speculated that these roads will be much safer as we would get sufficient traction while supporting the weight of the car. It would be costly, and it would definitely be a huge change compared to what we are so accustomed to, but I think this could be a huge investment that we should consider. It would be saving money, and helping a lot of people commute to where they need to go despite what the weather throws at us.
Would we want this type of technology? Or would this be taking it too far? As always, where do we draw the line?
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/01/19/smart.roads/
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