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IFLScience has a blogvertisement for a company called Solar Roadways, which replaces the decades-old tarmac way of building roads which something far more useful. As well as incorporating a solar power collector, other features such as under-road heating to clear snow, LED lighting to light the way, trunking for stormwater and utilities, and the ability to find broken segments (potholes) instantly.
Obviously it will never work, but why not?
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Oh, that sound of male ego. You travel halfway across the galaxy and
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 23 2014, @03:53PM
Here in the state of Florida, USA, I'm always embarrassed by how horrible our roads are. There is no serious weather here in FL, yet our roads are in constant state of disrepair. I've lived other places in the US and most of the time roads elsewhere are in much better shape, even in states with atrocious winters that wreak havoc on roads. I've also lived in Europe in areas with very bad weather, and their roads are glorious. Absolutely glorious. My conclusion has been that either those in charge of Floridian roads are too stupid to know how to build roads properly, and/or too corrupt to actually build them properly, thereby getting more money to constantly come-in and fix them up. I think this is evidence that any new technology related to roads will fail here in Florida, and likely much of the US, because we're too dumb and/or corrupt to allow it. Stupid/Evil folks have a sweet thing going by funneling taxpayer money into their pockets, why shake that up? We can't handle existing technology in road construction, much less new technology. Of course the stupid/evil people will argue that the new technology will cost $X, which is too expensive since we can barely pay the current costs of road maintenance. Of course it's likely too expensive because of the stupidity/corruption inherent in the current system, not because the new technology when used ethically and properly is actually too expensive.
(Score: 2) by DECbot on Friday May 23 2014, @07:52PM
Unlike most of the country, Florida has terrible soil for building roads. The sandy, marshy soil causes foundation issues that requires the entire roadway to be dug up to repair what looks like simple surface issues. It's like the entire state is made up of beaches, marshes, and peat bogs that most sane civil engineers avidly avoid in the rest of the US. You'll have more success developing flying cars, hovercrafts, and canals in Florida than developing a long life road.
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