zeitgeist57 Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 I love the idea. However the tech cost for the new road surface, as well as the electricity to power the roads, makes me cringe. http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/newscientist-investigates-emerging-road-heating-technolog/ Another reason why we need an updated power grid in this country, that integrates alternative sources of power (wind, solar, etc...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyM3rC Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 Yikes. Cool idea, but who wants to pay the taxes necessary to fund that project? Our current roadway system is already years and years out of date in most urban areas, maybe we should just tear up the main roadways and put this stuff in. Obama can just pass another bajillion dollar spending bill, and we'll all have jobs for the next 10 years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWW$HEEET Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 any increased spending = bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGU Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 i think that it would have to be heated year round to keep the pavement at a constant temp or it will just crack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRed05 Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 I think letting it warm up slowly would prevent it from cracking. I think its a good idea, it will probably end up being cheaper in the long run compared to dumping salt on it. Would be a lot safer on very steep hills too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rl Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 Nice, that way when a heater fails you have a section of road with solid ice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwashmycar Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 that would be awesome. they should do 270. then we can drive like retarded jackasses alll year round! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyM3rC Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 Nice, that way when a heater fails you have a section of road with solid ice. yeah, I can see the lawsuits against the city piling up now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceGhost Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 Seattle just packs the snow down and waits for it to melt in the spring. I like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyM3rC Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 How the hell does that work? Doesn't it turn into ice? I've been to Seattle a bunch of times, and making up those hills with snow on them isn't going to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceGhost Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 How the hell does that work? Doesn't it turn into ice? I've been to Seattle a bunch of times, and making up those hills with snow on them isn't going to happen. No it just becomes packed snow, maybe they rough it up a bit on hills. I just read an article about it last year, they can't use Salt because of the fresh water lakes or something. I don't quite remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyM3rC Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 In Seattle? Hmm. I didn't think they salted, because there are so many rust-free older japanese cars that don't last in the midwest. I saw some people having a hard time making it up the hills there in the rain. I can't imagine that working in the snow. Lots of burnouts, haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Total Sign Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 The Limited building on morse has most of its sidewalks built with heaters. It costs a fortune to use them and they haven't been turned on for a good ten years. I wonder what new technology could do to increase the efficiency though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceGhost Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 In Seattle? Hmm. I didn't think they salted, because there are so many rust-free older japanese cars that don't last in the midwest. I saw some people having a hard time making it up the hills there in the rain. I can't imagine that working in the snow. Lots of burnouts, haha. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2008553820_edit24icy.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Jones Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 Seems cheaper to just kill off the stupid people. Saves on taxes all the way around ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draco-REX Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 Seattle just packs the snow down and waits for it to melt in the spring. I like this. I need to move there then.. And get snow tires like these: http://www.pirellityre.com/web/motorsport/tyres/tyre_catalog/rally/snow_j.page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 obtaining more salt would be cheaper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodRed Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 I remember while visiting the Twin Cities, they were talking about in some very hilly areas in the town had the heated roads so the salt trucks didn't have to hit them. Seemed like it was the higher end areas of the city. But if I remember correctly, they didn't use electricity to heat them, something like recirculated heated water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS_Sonoma Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 Lay some pipe, like in a garage or home floor, and use geothermal pumping stations to supply the temperature difference. Problem solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 I love the idea. However the tech cost for the new road surface, as well as the electricity to power the roads, makes me cringe. http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/newscientist-investigates-emerging-road-heating-technolog/ Another reason why we need an updated power grid in this country, that integrates alternative sources of power (wind, solar, etc...) Howabout we just switch to flying cars, no more roads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GonneVille Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 What a patently stupid idea. Go take a look at any stretch of pavement in Columbus and tell me if you can find a section more than twenty feet long that doesn't have a long crack in it. Pavement cracks, carbon nano-tube paper tears along crack, no more electrical circuit, no more heat. The only way this is gonna work is if they repave the heated section every single year. Concrete might last longer, but the difference in price makes the idea ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTurbo Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 Lay some pipe, like in a garage or home floor, and use geothermal pumping stations to supply the temperature difference. Problem solved. You obviously didn't think this one through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGU Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 You obviously didn't think this one through. explain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTurbo Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 You're not going to be able to control the expansion and contraction of the pavement, whether its concrete or asphalt, to keep the pipes from splitting. Not only is there expansion and contraction, but there is upheaval and sagging to contend with too. So you have movement in X, Y, and Z. You could, theoretically keep the road a constant temp through out the year. But you'd have to keep it at the highest temp the road will ever see to control the shifting. So based on location that could change a lot in a matter or yards (mountainous regions). Not only that... what's the cost in the winter time going to be to pump enough "geothermal" heat to keep the road at ~130*? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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