Reader Response Draft 1
According to Cox
(2018), there is a possibility that smart road technology can be utilized as a
crash-sensing ‘touchpad’ on highways. In the five-year trial, along a half-mile
stretch of U.S. Highway 285, the road will be laid with “factory-made concrete
slabs featuring wi-fi connectivity and embedded fiber optic cables that act as
pressure sensors.” This sensor will detect, notify and dispatch help for
vehicular issues through the internet. Smart roads will shorten the duration as
they inform real-time warnings about traffic and road hazards, significantly
increasing the quality of motorists’ safety. Hence, this information becomes
the pillar of transportation. However, the article states that Schwartz
from the civil and environmental engineering department at the University of
Maryland had expressed his doubts regarding the consistency of the technology
concerning technical disruptions and cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, Colorado
seems hopeful that this technology may aid in certain issues despite the reluctance
in such investments. While there might be uncertainties regarding the smart
pavement, the technology is time- and cost-effective, and enhances pavement
condition.
Firstly, smart pavement
is time- and cost-effective. In the article, Sylvester states that using
precast slabs can reduce the total cost of ownership, increase the road’s life
expectancy and reduce the duration of the construction process. Based on the
article, the approximated duration taken by the crew from the Integrated
Roadways to complete an installation had reduced from days to hours. Hence,
proving that it is time-efficient to build the precast road. In addition, smart
pavement made from precast is more sustainable and cost-effective than the
traditional asphalt and concrete road. Therefore, it results in “95% less
costly to install versus traditional highway construction and up to 80% less in
the total cost of ownership” (Integrated Roadways, n.d.).
Secondly, the technology enhances the pavement condition. Based
on the article, the technology can monitor the pavement’s condition and aids
the transportation engineers to decide on the maintenance. In addition, the technology
can provide important information on non-observable issues. According to
the Minnesota Department of Transportation, if cracks are detected and resolve
early before they worsen, it will result in lower usage of finances (Intel Corporation,
n.d.).
In conclusion, I believe that while smart road technology
may have questionable features and functions, its advantages outweigh the
drawback, paving a path towards sustainable and time-effective infrastructure.
Held, S. (2017) The New Information Superhighway
https://precast.org/2017/12/new-information-superhighway/?fs=integrated%20roadways
Intel Corporation (n.d.) Smart Road Infrastructure
https://www.intel.sg/content/www/xa/en/transportation/smart-road-infrastructure.html
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