Could sand be the next great paving material? Thomas Kosbau and Andrew Wetzler recently won a design competition in Korea with their idea to combine sand with a bacteria that turns sand to stone.
Kosbau and Wetzler proposal suggests that road-building trucks "would carry hoppers of sand along with tanks of common Bacillus Pasteurii bacteria in solution. Sprayed on the road, the bacteria go to work chemically on the sand and turn it into a hard, tough cement." The idea would have a significant effect on the environment, because millions of gallons of crude oil go into asphalt road production each year.
Unfortunately, a U.C. Davis engineer asked to investigate the proposal said the material would likely not stand up to heavily-trafficked roads and would only be viable on low-volume roads.
FULL STORY: Will Roads of the Future Be Paved With Sandstone?
Texas Infrastructure Gets a ‘C’
The American Society of Civil Engineers rates states in 16 categories related to transportation, water, waste management, parks, and more.
Study: Cost of Expanding Roads Outweighs Benefits
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Pennsylvania Adopts State Transportation Plan
The plan addresses roads, transit, and other transportation infrastructure over the next 12 years.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA
The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
Berkeley Approves ‘Middle Housing’ Ordinance
The city that invented single-family zoning is finally reckoning with its history of exclusion.
SEPTA Budget Slashes Service by 45 Percent
The Philadelphia-area transit agency is legally tasked with maintaining a balanced budget. Officials hope the state will come to the rescue with additional funding.
Connecticut Governor Vetoes Housing Bill
Gov. Lamont reversed his view on a controversial affordable housing bill that would have required municipalities to zone for set amounts of affordable housing to receive state funding.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)