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http://www.curbed.com/2017/2/6/14521102/highway-the-ray-solar-power-transportation From the article:
Highways have never been the sexiest infrastructure projects, but Allie Kelly, the executive director of The Ray, believes that preconception will shift dramatically over the next few years due to rapid technological shifts. With politicians in Washington discussing the administration's ambitious infrastructure plans, now is the time to make investments in our transportation system. As far as Kelly is concerned, that vision should focus on achieving zero deaths, zero carbon, and zero waste. She hopes The Ray can serve as the laboratory where new ideas and revenue models are tried, tested, and proven possible.
"We're at a tipping point in transportation," says Kelly. "In five to ten years, we won't remember a time when we invested a dime in infrastructure spending for a road that only did one thing."
[...] Initially, the vision for The Ray was to add a solar installation in the median, along with a wildflower garden, to remind drivers about the environmental costs of the transportation system. But the results of the study suggested a more dramatic plan was needed. Since then, The Ray, in concert with the Georgia Department of Transportation, has slowly rolled out a number of new initiatives to improve both safety and sustainability. In 2015, a new electric charging station powered in part by photovoltaic panels, a joint project with funding from Kia Motors, became the first in the state.
This past year, the Ray added a strip of Wattway solar panels to an entrance ramp, and installed a WheelWright tire pressure sensor at a rest stop right next to the Alabama state line. The new British device helps drivers quickly test and maintain proper tire pressure, a leading cause of crashes.
Over the next year, the foundation plans to add more new tests that will help build out a more holistic roadway. A one megawatt solar installation will be installed in a right-of-way as part of a joint effort with Georgia Power to turn the highway into a place for power generation, and a series of bioswales—landscaped drainage ditches that naturally filter pollution—will turn the areas adjacent to the highway into more clean, sustainable, and natural landscapes.
"We're pushing the idea that these kind of installations can become widespread energy generation system for state departments of transportation," says Kelly. "Highways can eventually make money, and even serve as a power grid for the future."
Previous stories on solar roads and pathways:
Solar Generating Roads
SolaRoad Cycle Path Electricity Yield Exceeds Expectations
(Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Tuesday February 07 2017, @05:19PM
I'm guessing the "dry county" legislation would also prohibit someone across the border from setting up a delivery service..?
I can imagine some enterprising individual across the border setting up a website to offer home delivery of some completely legal, harmless and uncontrolled commodity (say, tinned tomatoes or ammunition or landmines or something) but with an option to discretely add to the order a couple six-packs of Tea, or perhaps a nice bottle of 5-year old, charcoal-filtered Coca Cola.
(Score: 2) by Sulla on Tuesday February 07 2017, @05:45PM
I am unfamiliar with where Runway lives but I know how this works in Alaska. In Alaska a lot of the bush is dry. This means no alcohol, at all. Taking alcohol across a municipal/tribal boundry from wet to dry is a major crime. Jail time, thousands in fines, etc. Such a service would work but would not be legal. A small plane with a shipment of liquor will sell in bush Alaska for 20k more than its cost to buy.
And to my previous post, the US likes to inflate charges, European countries seem to like to deflate. Politics here drives to "see how many we caught, isnt that great?" while across the pond seems to be "see how many we didn't catch, look how great our society is!". Both have severe faults.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 2) by NewNic on Tuesday February 07 2017, @08:30PM
Probably North Texas, based on this comment:
lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
(Score: 1) by butthurt on Tuesday February 07 2017, @08:43PM
Thanks, I didn't know that was illegal in Alaska.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Sulla on Tuesday February 07 2017, @10:18PM
Only banned in parts of the state. The major cities of course have legal alcohol, but it is prohibited in much of the bush. Alaskan Natives have a lower tolerance to alcohol because of its recent introduction to them, causing all sorts of issues. The boroughs in many cases decided to ban it to try and lessen the problems. Tribal governments have been known to exile family members who have been caught drinking rather than risk more people in the tribe getting into it.
Smugglers really do a lot of harm in Alaska. But on the other side of the coin people should be free to do what they want. Very sad situation.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday February 07 2017, @05:49PM
Most certainly - that falls under "bootlegging". Crossing the county line with a truckload of alcoholic beverages would probably land you in state prison for a very long time. No matter how many tomatoes, how many pounds of butter, or tins of shoe polish might accompany the alcohol, the cops would only see the alcohol.
To be honest, I'm not sure what the legal limit was, but it was certainly less than five cases of beer.
The macho people who prove how manly they are by consuming vast quantities of beer often came back from Oklahoma with two 30-packs, so I guess that was about the legal limit. Those same macho men had to consume their thirty-packs before sundown, I think, or they would turn into Cinderfella, or something like that.