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 The Buzz – News You Can Use
Smoother roads = immediate gas savings
Rock is the primary component of pavement and significant energies go into mining, crushing, and hauling it to construction sites. By recycling the rock and other materials in the existing pavement for the same stretch of road, however, all of the energy needed to haul those heavy loads is eliminated. A recent article in the National Geographic by Marianne Lavelle offers a thorough discussion of the paving process and its effects on energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Of particular note is a finding that driving on a smooth road - regardless of which type of pavement - can mean a 2 to 5 percent improvement in fuel economy. We all want that!. More details here.
Design solutions for those in-the-know
Do you want to be known as the hippest highway designer in town? Then you'd better get The Green Book, aka A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets. Just published by AASHTO, this highly desirable publication contains the current design research and practices for highway and street geometric design, while also providing guidance to highway engineers and designers who strive to make unique design solutions that meet the needs of highway users while maintaining the integrity of the environment. Video and more details.
What would Presidents Reagan & Clinton do?
A recent award-winning television and radio campaign sponsored by the American Public Transit Administration and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association looks at two former presidents who didn't agree on much, but were both strong supporters of transportation. By interweaving excerpts from Clinton and Reagan speeches, in the video the two men appear to be urging Congress and the Administration to set aside their political differences and work together to pass a robust surface transportation reauthorization bill. Here's the YouTube version.
Assisting the elder driver
Although seniors drive the fewest number of miles each year, they have the highest rate of fatalities per mile driven-partly because they can't bounce back from minor injuries like younger people can. According to Johnell Brooks of Clemson University's Institute of Engaged Aging, complicating the situation is the fact that elderly people are driving more than they did in previous generations. CU's SmartWHEELS program is helping seniors address these challenges and maintain their ability to drive safely. Through a DriveSafety simulator, patients who have been in car accidents can practice their driving skills during rehabilitation. CU's International Center for Automotive Research and its Institute of Engaged Aging are also assessing on-road driving using a Toyota Avalon with on-board sensors. More details here.
The motorcoach industry turns to video to tell its story
The American Bus Association has jumped on the video bandwagon, launching the Motorcoach Travel News, a monthly video that highlights events of interest to the bus industry. Featured in the first 14-minute segment are the recent NTSB report on the safety of curbside bus companies, a conversation with ABA president Peter J. Pantuso, the new consolidated bus operations at Washington's Union Station and other news. More at www.buses.org.
A new opportunity to "bridge the gap"
Kelley Rehm, who has been providing AASHTO with good counsel on bridges for the past nine years, recently turned her expertise to Kenya. As a representative of Bridging the Gap Africa, a non-profit that builds pedestrian bridges for rural communities in Africa, this summer Kelley conducted bridge surveys, assessed existing footbridges, and spent time in various communities across Kenya. Kelley notes that for about $10,000, a footbridge can be built in Kenya, creating a true lifeline for many rural communities. Her photos and blog posts are available here.
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