New path to the road
of tomorrow
In the blogpost “New paths for the road of tomorrow”, Decaux
(2017), mentioned several technological enhancements on road infrastructure. ‘Asphalt’
is conventionally used as road pavement and it is portrayed by the author to be
neither durable nor cost efficient, which also promotes the formation of “heat
islands”.
He elaborated on various sustainable projects that
could curb with the replacement of Asphalt. For instance, Decaux cited the first
trail of “solar roadway”, which was implemented in France (2016). In that case,
renewable energy is harnessed as thermal conductance, eliminating snow during
winter, facilitating a smooth and safer traffic. The final example was introduced
by the author, which integrates automatic light sensors that are placed within close
proximity of approaching vehicles. This saves energy while serving its intended
purpose.
While it may seem that a revolutionary change of road
infrastructure is a necessity, the author has failed to prove the sustainability
and cost effectiveness of the mentioned ideologies. In a recent article by Mike
Colargrossi (2019), the author exclaimed that the ‘trial’ was a catastrophe where
France is situated in a region and sunlight is limited. Besides, the panels were
also found to be deteriorating at an alarming rate, where it comes loose and
breaks into pieces. “First solar roadway in France turned out to be a total
disaster”. This shows an evident sign of poor sustainability within a mere
three years of implementation.
In the blogpost, Decaux (2017) mentioned that ‘recycled
plastics’ are much beneficial than the conventional asphalt paving. However,
this was never the case as evidenced in one of Adelante’s (2018) article, where
Bitumen is a plastic compound needed through combustion which is a desired
byproduct for road construction. The compound is also found to be hazardous to both
the marine ecosystem & human health. Furthermore, through the process of
combustive recycling contributes to air pollution, which in turns affects the
food-chain like a vicious cycle. The source has indeed aroused skeptics to the
reality of our future road.
Despite the controversy, Asphalt is still proven to be
widely used and was found to be road safe & cost-effective. This was
mentioned in Asphalt Pavement Alliance (2010), where the source cited that
Asphalt is equipped with friction course that prevents water retention which
deters skiing and accidents. In addition, the author also mentioned the recycling
of asphalt pavements saves the American taxpayer $1.8 billion per year, where
Asphalt requires low maintenance due to its perpetual structure that remains
intact indefinitely, while only the top layers periodically remove &
replaced.
In conclusion, being innovative and radical in a
sustainability context is extremely critical in these Information age. However,
Decaux has outweighed the pros of implementing conceptual technologies on road infrastructure
and overlooked on the great expense that may incur on an entire nation’s
economy. Staying resilience and having the ability to leverage “already in
place” infrastructure might be a much more pragmatic strategy to apprehend. Thus,
reduces the needs for demolition and construction costs.
References:
Adelante, R. (2018,
September 19). Can Plastic Roads Pave the Way to Sustainable Future? Retrieved
from
Asphalt Pavement
Alliance. (2010, September). The Role of Asphalt in Livable Communities
Retrieved from
http://www.asphaltroads.org/assets/_control/content/files/livablecommunities_whitepaper_september2010.pdf
Colagrossi, M. (2019, August 21). France's failed
solar roadway. Retrieved from
https://bigthink.com/technology-innovation/france-solar-road?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1
JC Decaux. (2017, October
23). New paths for the roads of tomorrow. Retrieved from
https://www.jcdecaux.com/mobility-trends/new-paths-roads-tomorrow
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