Autoblog

How insects might help make traffic lights smarter and more efficient

George Kennedy — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 08:28:00 EST

Anyone who has ever driven some of our nation's more congested areas may argue that sitting in traffic for hours at a time is not natural human behavior, and they may be right. In fact, negotiating traffic may be more of the provence of insects, as a Gizmag report suggests.

Apparently, ants, bees and termites are all able to manage their traffic flow. The example given is ants, where the smaller of two converging groups will always defer to the larger group. According to Ozan Tonguz, a telecommunications researcher at Carnegie Mellon University, this instinctual behavior has potential applications in our traffic infrastructure.

The Virtual Traffic Lights system has been in development since 2009, and it would be able to determine which of two cars (or groups of cars) approaching a traffic light was larger and allow that group to proceed first. Once the larger group had passed, the smaller group would be allowed to go. According to Tonguz's simulations, this program could reduce commute times by 40 to 60 percent, not to mention the reduction in carbon emissions from a shorter commute time. This initiative has received $2 million, and a spin-off company has been created to help make it a reality.

Dresden University of Technology and ETH Zurich have come together on a similar system that would allow existing traffic lights to communicate with vehicles to improve traffic flow.

Sitting at a red light while the lane with the green can be frustrating and waste fuel. Let us hope these smart red light systems can be implemented everywhere soon.

How insects might help make traffic lights smarter and more efficient originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Nov 2012 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

This 192-wheel vehicle is carrying nuclear waste to Utah right now

George Kennedy — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal, Safety, Technology, Videos, Work, Specialty

In light of Japan's Fukushima disaster, the future of nuclear power is a topic of debate whenever alternative power sources are discussed. Whether you are for nuclear power or against it, one legacy of this technology will be the great lengths that governments and power companies must go to dispose of the spent fuel and other byproducts.

The San Onofre nuclear power station replaced its steam generator several years ago, but only now is it able to move the old generator to a secure disposal facility. The generator must be moved in four parts. Each section is roughly 50-feet long and 15 feet in diameter and requires a transportation method of epic proportions. The trailer specifically constructed for this move is 400-feet long, nearly 17-feet high and it will take three weeks to make the 830-mile trip from San Onofre to its Utah disposal site.

For safety and security reasons, the route for the trips are undisclosed, though the first leg snakes its way through San Bernadino and Riverside counties. The generator parts will travel at night for minimal traffic, accompanied by California Highway Patrol.

The whole rig weighs in at 700,000 pounds and can only travel at a maximum speed of 25 miles per hour. Though the generator is irradiated, standing next to the rig for an hour will only expose you to the same amount of radiation as a dentist's x-ray.

An official from Southern California Edison says this special package could be the largest load ever to be moved such a distance distance. As our nation's nuclear powerplants age, motorists may see more impressive sights like this in the coming year. In case you don't find one on your nightly commute, check out the video below.

Continue reading This 192-wheel vehicle is carrying nuclear waste to Utah right now

This 192-wheel vehicle is carrying nuclear waste to Utah right now originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Nov 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

States asking Congress for the right to add toll roads to close budget gaps

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 30 May 2012 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Earnings/Financials

Governments need to pay for things, and when traditional sources of revenue decline, other sources are found. To deal with the urgent needs of the highway infrastructure system and, if possible, add capacity, states need a lot more money than they currently have. Unable to get more from Congress, since Congress remains opposed to raising the gas tax, states are asking for the right to skip the gas-pump middleman and go straight to your wallet in the form of toll roads.

Beyond the recession, the reasons for busted highway and infrastructure budgets are manifold, from people driving less - and so less collected in gas taxes, to more fuel efficient cars - requiring less gas and so again, less in gas taxes, to roads and bridges that cost more to construct. A Congressional commission wrote that the U.S. needs to spend $137 billion more every single year to keep up with infrastructure needs; meanwhile less money is flowing to coffers and the federal highway fund is expected to be run down to zero in 2013.

Federal laws prohibit all but 15 states from collecting tolls on highways that receive federal funds, so states want Congress to change that provision. Trials have begun in three other states to test out tolls, including one that raises the toll until the toll lanes are sufficiently cleared, in order to keep the paying lanes from becoming congested as is known to happen regularly in some systems. But getting nationwide approval is a long way off. Oversight of a greatly expanded tolling industry would need to be sorted; the federal government already has questions about how state's latitude in spending toll revenue - for the specific toll road or general transportation needs, for instance - and where tolls might be placed, since "states also have a history of slapping tolls on roads traveled by a large share of out-of-state motorists."

On the other side, tolling agencies operate in more mysterious circumstances than many are comfortable with. Private companies and public-private partnerships aren't bound by the disclosure requirements of pure government agencies, which can lead to seemingly capricious toll hikes, huge sums of money going where it isn't meant and after-the-fact finger pointing that doesn't help toll-paying motorists. Not that any of that will change what's ultimately coming: it costs more to ply the nation's roads, and there's no doubt we're going to more pay for it. Somehow.

States asking Congress for the right to add toll roads to close budget gaps originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 May 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

71 drivers cross a defective bridge every second... in Chicago [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:45:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

A new study conducted by Transportation for America has discovered that approximately 70,000 bridges in the United States are structurally deficient, meaning that an engineer has identified a significant defect in the structure's support or decking. That's a large number, but perhaps more shocking is the fact that the study indicates that every second, 71 drivers in Chicago drive over one of those derelict crossings. The study found that approximately 10 percent of the city's bridges are in need of significant repair, which equates to around 400 structurally deficient bridges all together.

According to Gideon Blustein, executive director of the Infrastructure Council at the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Chicago may be in danger of losing its reputation as a hub of transportation unless the government invests in its aging infrastructure.

Transportation for America says that to catch up on the nation's back log of repairs would cost approximately $70 billion. Now, here's where we're confused. Unemployment is at record levels and our nation is in desperate need of infrastructure repair. According to Chicago Federation of Labor President Jorge Ramirez, $1.25 billion spent on transportation generates approximately 35,000 jobs. Seems like a two-bird, one-stone scenario to us. Hit the jump for a quick video.

Continue reading 71 drivers cross a defective bridge every second... in Chicago [w/video]

71 drivers cross a defective bridge every second... in Chicago [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

China opens 26-mile-long road bridge over water, claims world record

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: China, Etc., Videos

Jiaozhou Bay Bridge aerial footage - Click above to watch videos after the jump

China has just opened up a new roadway that stretches for a distance of 26.4 miles. Not impressed? That's 26.4 miles over water. It's called the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, and stretches for a span longer than a marathon. The bridge took four years to build, opened on June 30 and was then recognized by Guinness as the longest roadway bridge over water.

You would think that a 26-mile bridge would be used to shave serious commuting time off an otherwise long journey. Strangely, the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge only saves commuters 19 miles and 20 minutes of travel time.

Click past the jump for videos of China's new king of bridges.

Continue reading China opens 26-mile-long road bridge over water, claims world record

China opens 26-mile-long road bridge over water, claims world record originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The coolest wildlife highway overpasses you'll see all day

John Neff — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Design/Style

Wildlife Crossing design competition finalists - Click above for high-res image gallery

The five designs for animal bridges you see here are finalists from over 100 entries for the ARC Wildlife Crossing Infrastructure Design competition sponsored by the Western Transportation Institute at Montana State. The competition is looking for "next generation" wildlife crossing designs, something that ups the ante over the tunnels, underpasses and bridges already in use by Canada to give back some migratory to our quad-pedal cousins. The organizers even picked a real stretch of Interstate 70 in Colorado called the Vail Pass as its theoretical location.

We won't belabor you with descriptions of each finalist's design, as all are basically a similar take on an interstate-spanning bridge topped by the topography and flora of the surrounding Rocky Mountains. Our vote, however, goes to The Olin Studio's entry (above) that sharply curves up the edges of the crossing to allow more light under the bridge as well as shield animals from the sights and sounds of traffic passing underneath.

Regardless of your favorite, don't expect to see any of these designs crossing Colorado's I-70 anytime soon, as the winner of the competition, which will be announced January 23, wins nothing but bragging rights. The Colorado Department of Transportation doesn't have the money to build a wildlife crossing here, but promises to pre-qualify the winning design for consideration if it ever does. Even so, the high-res gallery below is certainly worth a look, if only to check out some really interesting infrastructure design.

Gallery: Vail Pass Wildlife Crossing Proposals

[Sources: Vail Daily, ARC Competition]

The coolest wildlife highway overpasses you'll see all day originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Study: Americans prefer tolls over fuel taxes... how about you?

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:29:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Earnings/Financials

One fact seems indisputable: Americans have come to hate taxes and any suggestion by a politician to raise them is tantamount to political suicide. The problem is that public infrastructure requires funding - and lots of it. Critics of this disparity would argue that a lack of political will to raise fuel taxes has left roads, bridges and tunnels across America crumbling in recent decades.

A new survey conducted by HNTB Corporation suggests that Americans would prefer to pay tolls or let their roads crumble rather than pay higher fuel taxes. While this may well be a valid survey, it's important to note that HNTB is an infrastructure firm that supplies toll collecting equipment, among other things.

In any case, the study's findings note that "when given a choice between new roads funded by an increased gas tax, by new tolls or no new roads at all, Americans prefer tolls (41 percent) or no new roads at all (41 percent) over increased gas taxes (18 percent)." Further, "A strong majority of Americans (84 percent) feel tolls should be considered project-by-project or as a primary source of transportation revenue. Only a small minority (16 percent) say tolls should never be used."

In the old days, toll booths were a pain because every car had to stop and pay. The advent of affordable radio frequency transponder systems like EZ-Pass now allows commuters to drive toll roads and pay automatically without stopping - or even thinking about how much money using such systems costs them. Of course, this type of toll collecting raises other issues including invasion of privacy concerns, since the operators know where specific cars are at certain points in time. There's also the possibility of account hacking or errors where someone could end up charging their driving to other accounts.

What do you think about tolls? Check out the full press release after the jump for more of the study's findings, then drop your fellow readers a line in Comments.

[Source: HNTB Corporation | Image: Wikimedia Commons]

Continue reading Study: Americans prefer tolls over fuel taxes... how about you?

Study: Americans prefer tolls over fuel taxes... how about you? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Report: Power companies need to upgrade grid to prepare for electric cars

Michael Harley — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Technology, Chevrolet, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

The onslaught of electric vehicles expected to hit the market over the next five years, such as the Chevrolet Volt (pictured above), is keeping many local power utilities up at night. The dilemma has to do with the power supply - more specifically, how to feed the increased demand on the grid down to the household level.

There isn't really a shortage of power, experts say. However, while your electric company has built the infrastructure to keep your microwave, HDTV and computer all running simultaneously without dimming the kitchen lights, an anticipated flood of innovative all-electric cars concurrently guzzling electrons off the system in private garages may lead to household circuit breakers tripping and street corner transformers burning out.

Not to worry, say the utilities. While it is a challenge that they must address, there is something working in their favor... cost. As is often the case with new technologies, the high selling price of the early all-electric cars (expected to hit $40,000 or more... or less) allows the power companies to anticipate which neighborhoods need upgrading first - now, that's electrifying insight.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Report: Power companies need to upgrade grid to prepare for electric cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: More than 25% of US bridges are "structurally deficient or functionally obsolete"

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Safety

Here's some bad news for all of us: Over 150,000 bridges in the U.S. have been judged to be "structurally deficient or functionally obsolete." And get this, there are less than 598,000 bridges in America. That means 25.7% aren't in very good shape. It turns out that the state with the most structurally deficient or functionally obsolete (SD/FO) bridges is Texas, with 9,564 such bridges. However, Texas is ginormous - almost half the size of Alaska - and therefore has a lot of bridges, but the percentage of Texan SD/FO bridges is 19%. And that's significantly lower than the national average.

What state has the most SD/FO bridges? Betcha never would have guessed the District of Columbia. For one thing, it's not even a state! For another, you'd think being in such close proximity to all that Washingtonian largesse would be good for something. Turns out, not. Anyhow, 55% of the bridges in our nation's capital are going to fall down/fail sooner than later says The Better Roads Bridge Inventory survey.

The actual State with the highest percentage of bad bridges is Rhode Island with 53%. Pennsylvania takes second place honors with 39%. The really bad news, according to the frighteningly detailed article, is that all these numbers might be low.

[Source: Better Roads via The Car Connection | Image: Scott Olson/Getty]

REPORT: More than 25% of US bridges are "structurally deficient or functionally obsolete" originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments