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
New research shows that the economic benefits of roadbuilding projects don’t come close to exceeding most projects’ costs.
Pennsylvania Adopts State Transportation Plan
The plan addresses roads, transit, and other transportation infrastructure over the next 12 years.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway
The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.
Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws
One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.
Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy
The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service