5 ms·

Are there any sustainable road construction technologies and materials that do not rely on petrochemicals?

Polylactic_acid 7y ago
Cobblestone.
lukasm 7y ago
Concrete is pretty much the only alternative that can handle 40+ tonnes trucks and be cost effective. It will last longer, but it's more expensive to build - could be cheaper on the long run. You get a bit more tire noise and less traction than on the asphalt.
- ip26 7y ago
  Less repairable as well.
  - jankiehodgpodge 7y ago
    Terrible in the rain too.
- jhloa2 7y ago
  Freeze/thaw cycles seem to absolutely destroy the few segments of concrete roads we have around here. They don't seem to last more than 2 winters.
  - jdsully 7y ago
    Many freeways around Toronto use concrete and according to the MTO it is cheaper. But the deciding factor appears to be the number of trucks passing the stretch of road. Concretes durability under weight more than offsets the decay from weather.
    - jhloa2 7y ago
      That's where I notice them as well. I haven't seen it recently, but I recall a few years ago there was a highway around here (Denver) that was asphalt for the two leftmost lanes with a concrete slow lane that semi trucks were supposed to drive on. Maybe Denver is particularly bad for concrete roads because our freeze/thaw cycles get really bad. We have so many warm days in the winter interspersed with cold days and freezing nights.
jhloa2 7y ago
Although most modern roads do tend to use petroleum products, the asphalt is actually remarkably sustainable as almost all of it is recycled: http://www.asphaltpavement.org/recycling http://www.asphaltpavement.org/recycling. It seems like it would be tough to move to another type of material that would actually be more environmentally friendly after considering all the extra maintenance required for a less durable but more environmentally friendly construction. As others have mentioned, it seems like the long term solution is to move to a less car-dependent society.

Cobblestone.

Concrete is pretty much the only alternative that can handle 40+ tonnes trucks and be cost effective. It will last longer, but it's more expensive to build - could be cheaper on the long run. You get a bit more tire noise and less traction than on the asphalt.

ip26 7y ago
Less repairable as well.
- jankiehodgpodge 7y ago
  Terrible in the rain too.
jhloa2 7y ago
Freeze/thaw cycles seem to absolutely destroy the few segments of concrete roads we have around here. They don't seem to last more than 2 winters.
- jdsully 7y ago
  Many freeways around Toronto use concrete and according to the MTO it is cheaper. But the deciding factor appears to be the number of trucks passing the stretch of road. Concretes durability under weight more than offsets the decay from weather.
  - jhloa2 7y ago
    That's where I notice them as well. I haven't seen it recently, but I recall a few years ago there was a highway around here (Denver) that was asphalt for the two leftmost lanes with a concrete slow lane that semi trucks were supposed to drive on. Maybe Denver is particularly bad for concrete roads because our freeze/thaw cycles get really bad. We have so many warm days in the winter interspersed with cold days and freezing nights.

jhloa2 7y ago

Although most modern roads do tend to use petroleum products, the asphalt is actually remarkably sustainable as almost all of it is recycled: http://www.asphaltpavement.org/recycling http://www.asphaltpavement.org/recycling. It seems like it would be tough to move to another type of material that would actually be more environmentally friendly after considering all the extra maintenance required for a less durable but more environmentally friendly construction. As others have mentioned, it seems like the long term solution is to move to a less car-dependent society.