It Is Commercialized: Honda made the first commercial featuring a musical road. The road played an excerpt of the William Tell Overture. The asphalt spacing was incorrect, so the song was completely out of tune. Some even say it was unrecognizable.

It Relies on Vibrations: The sound created from driving on a musical road is the result of wheel vibrations. It causes an audible rumbling transmitted by the wheels into the car’s interior. For a real-life example of the impact wheel vibrations have on sound, get in your car and start driving. When you start to drive over a bumpy road, sing aloud. Just hold a solid tone, like an open-mouthed hum. You will notice a difference in tones.

Different Locations Exist: Musical roads were first constructed in Japan. This country has the largest number of these specialized roads, a total of 12. Other countries with musical roads include the United States, Denmark and South Korea.

They are Safety Mechanisms: A musical road keeps drivers alert. Many drivers have a tendency to become bored, inattentive, and sometimes drift off while driving. When a driver is on a musical road, a special sound is emitted as soon as the vehicle veers to the side. It instantly awakes the driver. This prevents many accidents and injuries to the driver, passengers and surrounding drivers.

Perfect Pitch Does Not Exist: Even though a musical road is designed to play a musical tune, sound quality is not a main concern. You may recognize the melody, but many times the sound is too distorted to provide any pleasurable experience. The tune sounds off-key. This will probably change for the better as technology advances.

Speed Does Matter: A musical road, also known as a singing road, is developed with a certain speed in mind. Usually that speed is the stated speed limit. When a car drives over or under the specified speed, the musical road sounds different from what is expected.

For a comparison, think of a vinyl record. That record was designed to play at a certain speed such as 78, 45 or 33. Play the record at a different speed, and you will receive a distorted sound.

Spacing Makes a Difference:The space of the asphalt road ridges makes a difference in the sound. According to development experts, the farther apart the grooves or ridges are, the lower the octave. Conversely, the closer together the grooves or ridges, the higher the octave will be.

The First Song Is the Easiest: The first song ever heard on a musical road is the all-time classic, “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” That’s the same song Thomas Edison used when inventing his phonograph.

Knowledge never hurts anyone. As a paving expert, Dykes Paving loves sharing asphalt-related news like the above.

Imagine driving down a well-illuminated road at night without the assistance of conventional streetlights. The road seems to glow in the dark on its own, making night time driving clearer and safer. This is possible with a new technology called ‘Starpath’, which its developers say offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution to night time driving.

Starpath is a spray-on, water-resistant coating that absorbs light during the day and releases it at night. It works as a solar panel, allowing the road to glow at an adequate intensity for drivers. The Starpath product also contains an anti-slip material, which can help vehicles avoid collisions.

A Quick Roadway Fix?

One of the benefits of this technology is how rapidly it can be applied. According to Pro-Teq, a UK-based provider of spray-on surfacing materials that developed the product, Starpath can be applied to an area of about 1,500 square feet in just 30 minutes. The surface is ready to use four hours later. Pro-Teq is a manufacturer of playground surfaces, so not surprisingly, they offer the spray in eleven colors.  Different colors could be used to create bike or bus lanes or delineate parking areas with different colors.

Starpath may be a very attractive option for the environment It could potentially eliminate thousands of conventional streetlamps along highways or in neighborhoods. Ideally, the savings would outweigh the initial investment of implementing the product.

Does It Actually Work?

There are some concerns that this technology would not be nearly as effective in the winter, when there is not only less sunlight, but snow blocking the surface from receiving adequate light. In this case, there could be a dangerous scenario if traditional streetlights had been eliminated. But Starpath has had a successful trial along pathways in a park in Cambridge, UK.  With its success, the city council is considering using it on other pathways in the city.  Whether our future roads are all coated in glowing, colorful Starpath technology remains to be seen, but the idea of a roadway that is both sustainable and safe at night is appealing to both the public and local governments — and almost as attractive as the idea of glowing, rainbow roadways.

Image: www.pro-teqsurfacing.com/home.html

Atlanta businessman Ted Turner is not afraid to take on a new challenge. Fortunately for Atlanta, this native son had a two acre parking lot on Luckie Street in downtown Atlanta. Next door was Turner’s business complex, comprised of Turner Enterprises, the Turner Foundation, a Ted’s Montana Grill – and Mr. Turner’s own Atlanta home.  Turner used the space to create one of the first solar parking lots in the country – and he may be on to a good idea.

There are many benefits to sun-powered parking lots, including the fact that they generate  energy to charge electric cars and help to shield parked cars from the brutal Atlanta sun.  Turner’s plans for the solar parking lot also include using the solar power generated by it as the energy source for the building complex, including Ted’s Montana Grill. So far, Turner’s parking lot project has been as “green” as can be – he did not allow any trees to be cut down during construction. You can see the parking lot, named the “Luckie Street Solar Project,” at 157 Luckie Street NW, Atlanta.

A Contribution from the NFL?

When you think of organizations with an interest in the environment, the NFL probably isn’t the first one that comes to mind. But the NFL’s  Washington Redskins, recently covered an astonishing 841 parking spaces at the FedEx Field in Maryland with solar units. The stadium now receives 20% of its game-day energy needs from solar sources. Even more impressive, the stadium can meet all of its energy needs from solar sources on non-game days!  And the NFL is not alone.  Rutgers University of New Jersey is spending an estimated $40.8 million to develop 32 acres of solar lots on its Livingston, NJ campus. Rutgers says it expects to save around $28 million in energy costs over two decades.

Solar Carports

Unless you’re a millionaire, you probably can’t embark on your own solar parking lot building project. But not all of the solar-centric projects taking place today are on the scale of a commercial parking lot. Some groups are thinking smaller, in the form of individual solar carports. It is not hard to image the positive impact to the environment should solar carports become popular nationwide. That could be another nationwide change brought to us by the Atlanta businessman who created CNN.

How it Would Work

While it seems implausible at first, it actually makes sense when you think about it. Instead of just putting down regular roads, the Brusaw’s idea is to put down solar panels. Once in place, the solar panels would be able to generate electricity and feed it into the grid.  Drivers of electric cars could get a charge as they drove. The use of asphalt, which requires large amounts of oil in its production, could be greatly reduced or even eliminated altogether, making for a greener world all around.

Safer Travels

In addition to being an environmentally-conscious idea, the Brusaw’s idea may also create a safer driving experience. They envision the solar panels serving double-duty as LED screens, which could display road signs, warnings, and other information. Sounds impossibly futuristic? Perhaps. But imagine how useful it would be to have traffic and other information displayed on the road in front of you!

Starting Small

This is one idea that is going to take some time. The Brusaw’s first step is  creating walking paths, bicycle paths, and parking lots that feature solar panels in their design. Putting down solar roads in these locations would serve as a testing ground to see just how this brilliant little idea fares in the world. If things go well, they hope to partner with a company to expand their idea to major roadways.

How Does a Solar Panel Road Work?

While the Brusaws are still working to perfect their panels, they’ve got a pretty good design down pat already. Each solar panel has a tough outer layer that’s made of thick glass and that holds the actual solar panels in addition to their lighting and heating units. That layer sits on top of a layer containing the control device that enables the panels to turn on the lights and that sends information to the panels. Finally, there’s a third layer that takes care of sending the electrical current to homes, electric car chargers, and more.

The Pilot Project

The state of Idaho recently awarded the Brusaws a $750,000 grant to put their idea into action. The couple has already created a solar parking lot in Sandpoint, Idaho, which is currently undergoing testing. If things turn out as the Brusaws hope, this parking lot could be the start of something very big. You can learn more about this project on the Solar Roadways website.

Although it occurs naturally, most asphalt is made from petroleum. In the United States, 85% of asphalt is used for roads. A typical road  is composed of roughly 5% asphalt material and 95% aggregates, which are usually stones and sand. A durable road surface is made when the asphalt clings to the aggregates.

If you drive a car then you’re also familiar with the problems of asphalt paving. Cracks, potholes and windshield damage from loose aggregates are all examples of what happens when the binding power of asphalt naturally decays. This can happen due to changes in the weather, damage from general use and vibrations under certain conditions. Once the asphalt begins to break down, tiny cracks form, loosening the binding between materials, ultimately creating potholes and raveling.

A Kitchen Solution

What is the solution? Turns out, it was right in our kitchens all along. Steel wool threads (like those used for scrubbing pans) are used in the creation of the asphalt road itself, placed within the bitumen substance that goes between the aggregates. Then induction heating comes into play. Induction involves the rapid excitement of metal to create heat through the use of magnets. When an alternating current is sent through a coil, it can create an oscillating magnetic field that heats the molecules within ferromagnetic metals. In this case, the steel wool is the metal. When self-healing asphalt is heated, it becomes malleable and liquid again. Schlangen demonstrated the heating and cooling  process using a microwave on stage. The process was fast enough that the asphalt block he broke was mended by the end of his seven minute talk.

Is This the Road of the Future?

The cost of maintaining US roads is a lot higher than most people realize. In 2005, the Federal Highway Administration was granted $286 billion to provide much needed repairs and upgrades to the national highway infrastructure. Much of this goes towards mending roads. If this new form of self-healing asphalt is implemented into roads,  it is estimated that inductive heating repairs would be necessary every four years. Schlangen says it should double the lifespan of a roadway. Will this happen in the US? In the Netherlands, it has been used successfully on a test section of a highway. However, highways in the Netherlands use porous asphalt, which also reduces noise and allows effective water drainage. Porous pavement has been demonstrated to work fine on US roadways. Hopefully these new technologies will be coming to more roads soon.

The program uses simple, coin-sized sensors embedded into the roadway parking spaces of the city.  The sensors are able to detect whether the parking space is available. Their use may help drivers and the city itself several ways:

• Less fuel and less time wasted hunting for a spot.
• Lowered risk of accidents for motorists – and pedestrians – when looking for a space.
• Fewer problems with double parking.
• The ability to find parking using a smart phone or mobile device.
• A ratings system that displays how likely finding a spot will be on a given block.

How You Know Where to Go

While the implications of the technology are quite impressive, for now it is only being tested on a few blocks in the Bronx. One drawback of the application is that it does not give information on any specific parking spot, but uses a map coded with green, yellow or red to indicate the overall possibility of finding a space. Nonetheless, early reviews have been positive. The only issue from critics is the fact that using the app could in itself be distracting to drivers. Mayor Bloomberg explained the tool is intended to be used before you get in your car, not while driving.

Easy to Install and Maintain

Placing the sensors themselves in an asphalt parking lot requires very little construction cost. The sensors have batteries which can last for years, and they are easily replaceable. They transmit information wirelessly to servers that can be accessed anywhere. Indeed several other cities, like San Francisco, are already using this same technology. It is easy to see how, as wireless technology becomes more prevalent, ideas like embedded sensors will bring more quality of life improvements to our roadways.

The world we live in today is radically different from the world of a few generations ago. As we continue to evolve, progress, and change, we need to look at the way we live in this world. The next time it rains, take a look outside your window. Where does all of that water go? It has to go somewhere, and as we build more and more sidewalks, driveways, roadways, and parking lots, the water has fewer porous outlets to allow it to seep back into the earth.

Thankfully, technology is progressing to meet some of the demands we place on our planet. One innovative option is something called “permeable paving.” This type of pavement is a modern, sustainable solution that can cut down on flooding.

What Is Permeable Paving?

Basically, any street or sidewalk made with permeable materials, like porous concrete or unit pavers, is a permeable pavement. It allows air and water to pass quickly and easily through it into the soil. This provides the opportunity for storm water storage and/or the soil to recharge its necessary supply of groundwater. Another benefit is that permeable pavement reduces the amount of pollutants that go into our water supply. While permeable pavement acts very differently to traditional pavement, it looks just like other paved surface.

Where Can Permeable Paving Be Used?

Small property owners can benefit from permeable paving, as well as neighborhood developers looking to attain LEED certification. This green option is a great way to minimize negative impacts on the planet from development, like flooding and storm water pollution. Permeable paving can be done on its own or in connection with other green enhancements, such as:

• Street trees
• Bioretention planters
• Sidewalk landscaping

In terms of location, permeable paving is appropriate for all street types.  Here are some of the places where it works best:

• Sloped paving surface of 5 percent or less
• Sidewalks, driveways, park areas, shared streets, plazas, walking paths, bike paths, open parking lots
• Parking strips or gutters not used with traffic or bus stops
• Streets that do not experience high traffic

Where Can’t It Be Used?

There are still some places, however, where its use is less than ideal. These include:

• Hillsides with a slope greater than 20 percent
• Traffic lanes that experience heavy congestion
• Areas that have a history of shallow groundwater contamination
• An place that is subject to chemical spillage, or where businesses such as gas stations, car washes or auto repairs shops are located
• Streets with a history of combined sewer overflows unless as part of a project aimed at eliminating such overflows
• Areas with shallow groundwater or seasonal high groundwater (less than 4 feet) if receiving run-on (storm water runoff from adjacent areas)
• Within 20 feet of sub-sidewalk basements if receiving runoff
• Within 50 feet of domestic water wells if receiving runoff

How is Permeable Paving Designed?

It is necessary to determine soil conditions in the area where permeable paving is to be installed. These conditions include percolation rate and infiltration capabilities, depth to the water table, depth to bedrock, and soil contamination. When the project is being designed, there are some common materials for the paving surface to consider:

• Permeable hot-mix asphalt, typically 2.5 inches deep
• Permeable concrete, which is similar to standard concrete but lacking items such as sand, typically 4 to 8 inches deep
• Interlocking block pavers

How is Permeable Paving Maintained?

Just like most everything else, this special type of pavement requires some periodic maintenance. Once or twice a year vacuuming, or sweeping, (depending on the size of the area) should be performed when the sediments are dry. The pavement should also be tested yearly to determine if it is clogged in any way. Broken or damaged pavement must be fixed or replaced.

If you are interested in enhancing your neighborhood with permeable paving, or if you are concerned about flooding from a proposed development, consider permeable pavement. It is a great solution to help out the planet right outside your door.

The technology, which originated in Europe in the 1990’s, is today produced by GreenMantra Technologies, a company headquartered in Toronto.  While it has been used elsewhere successfully, the Canadian roads are the first to use recycled consumer plastics in the mix. In addition to removing non bio-degradables from landfills, the new asphalt also makes longer lasting roads. This is one of the many reasons why using post-consumer plastic in making roads may turn out to be hugely beneficial. Not only does it save energy, but it also reuses plastic in the best possible manner. A smart idea from a city on its way to become the greenest in the world.

A Dutch design firm, Studio Roosegaard, is working on a new “smart road” with a number of safety and energy-saving innovations. The initial version of the road is set to debut this year. Here are some features that it will eventually have, perhaps coming someday to a road near you.

Signalling Icy Roads Ahead

In the past, most road safety innovations were applied to motor vehicles. As a result, driving a vehicle today is far safer than it was some decades ago. But there are still improvements that can be made in road paving technology to prevent accidents. The smart road’s paving will include temperature-sensitive paint that can warn drivers of icy conditions. The paint would shine in both daytime and nighttime, giving enough warning to the drivers about the condition of the road.  In regions where the roads become coated with hard-to-see black ice, this could be a lifesaver.

Smart Lighting

The “smart roads” will have special lights installed that are activated by the motion of oncoming vehicles. This would eliminate the need for having the lights on throughout the night and therefore save a great amount of energy. Another plan is for lights to use wind energy for as a power source.

Induction Lanes

While it may sound a little like something out of a sci-fi movie, Studio Roosegaard is also developing an “induction priority lane” which will be able to charge electric cars as they drive on it with the use of magnetic fields in the pavement.

The technology will be tested later this year in the Netherlands, but if it works, could be implemented in countries worldwide over the next decade.