A while ago I wrote a post, Roads: Why Are They Still Asphalt? In it I expressed my desire for the future of road materials. No more hours idling in construction zones as they pour more oil to patch another season’s worth of a billion or so potholes. Better drainage and more traction during slippery conditions. Why weren’t these goals being pursued by the best and brightest of engineers? It turns out, someone was indeed working on this problem and it’s looking even better than I had hoped.

Julie and Scott Brusaw in Idaho are developing solar roadways. Here’s the quick version of all the awesome their new road promises:

  • They use high-durability, textured glass to cover hexagonal solar modules with internal heaters and LED lights.
  • It exceeds standards for weight tolerance, toughness, and traction.
  • LED’s mean clear road lines forever, no paint, and alerting drivers to pedestrians as they step out onto crosswalks.
  • Heaters deal with snow and ice.
  • Modular roads mean broken pieces are quickly identified and replaced.
  • Electric cars will be able to plug into the road to recharge.
  • More features and details in their FAQ
  • No more potholes-ever

Solar Driveway
Solar Highway

What we have here is technology that greatly increases road safety, greatly decreases the use of fossil fuels, and it encourages the development and use of electric vehicles. It’s everything my last article asked for and more.

The obvious question is, while this all sounds great, can this new road feasibly deliver on all that it promises? I don’t know, but in the spirit of my last article, I don’t think it matters that much. If we really are at the cusp of a road revolution and kids 20 years from now look back at asphalt roads the way we currently look at VHS tapes, all the better. However, my cynical side is well trained, and I doubt such a smooth victory is forthcoming. But I’m STILL excited. These solar roadways are here, they are being tested, and people are talking about them. Even if, in this iteration, they are a dismal failure, the seeds of progress have been planted. Whatever unforeseen problems arise, we will learn from them. While I’m unsure of the rate of road progress, I’m thrilled to know that, slow or fast, it’s actually happening. So read all about it, spread the word, and let’s see if we can get this happening sooner, rather than later.