Monthly Archives: November 2012

What ever happened to the Hydrogen Car?

Posted on by
2

President George Bush passed a $1.2 billion plan for research and development of the hydrogen car.  He believed that this was the future of private transport in the United States as it was a pollution free alternative to the combustion engine.  Little do people know, President Obama actually killed this plan in 2009 which is contrary to his known position to increase investments in alternative energies.  The rationale behind this decision according Energy Secretary Steven Chu is that it will not be practical over the next 10 to 20 years.  Electric vehicles were thought to be a better investment for federal monies.

There are too many hurdles to overcome for hydrogen cars; we lack the current infrastructure for it (fuel stations and pipelines), hydrogen is not as efficient as petroleum,  it is expensive (because of the expensive platinum components in the battery), and it is not quite pollution-free (some hydrogen is produced by the refinement of fossil fuels) .  These prohibitive reasons are why President Obama rejected a further continuance on research for hydrogen vehicles.

However, I believe that we can solve these problems if the federal government had continued funding the hydrogen program. There are other methods of producing hydrogen through wind, solar, and nuclear.  If enough money is granted we can figure out alternative battery components that are cheaper and easily produced.  Infrastructure can be built by building in targeted regions such as Hawaii where driving patterns are predictable or Los Angeles where there is a large population to be served.  GM and the U.S. Army launched a test fleet of 16 hydrogen fuel-cell cars in Hawaii earlier this year.

Furthermore, hydrogen vehicles are better than electric vehicles with respect to the driving range and energy required.  Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles can be refueled in as few as three minutes, then travel for 250 or 300 miles straight.  Electrified cars, on the other hand, require about eight hours for complete recharging. Depending on the vehicle, they can go only 40 to 100 miles on pure battery.  The electrified vehicle is not completely pollution free because conventional electric generation that is required still pollutes.  There has to be a complete overhaul in the energy industry for electric vehicles to not have a footprint on the Earth.

I would like to see the day where I can drive my personal vehicle without contributing to poorer air quality and pollution.  If the hydrogen car is successful and people are confident in the technology and purchase these vehicles it will revolutionize the energy and automobile industry.  However, it will not solve the congestion problem in urban areas, but it will make the air much cleaner.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/08/science/earth/08energy.html

http://voices.yahoo.com/the-hydrogen-car-george-bush-doesnt-want-you-364518.html?cat=27

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2012/05/hydrogen_fuel_cell_vehicles_and_the_obama_administration_.single.html

My New York Drivers Test

Posted on by
1

I have been a strong advocate in the classroom to create stricter driver license examinations.  Getting a licence in New York required taking a multiple choice test with 20 questions, a five hour class on driving (it was actually 3 hours) and a five minute driving test.  That may sound like a lot to study for, but the most difficult thing to do is to have the time during your busy day to do it all.  As a college student, I am more concerned about the content of the classes and the exams, but for obtaining a driver license that was not an issue.

I over-studied for the testing components to obtain my license.  The multiple choice was relatively straightforward; I only had to get 16 questions right.  On the other hand, I was more worried about the driving component; making turns properly, stopping at a stop sign, and especially parallel parking. When the test began, I put my left turn blinker on and pulled out of the parking spot I was in.  I drove down the road, made a left turn and pulled up next to the only parked car on the street.  I parallel parked behind the car and then drove on.  I made a three point turn and returned to the lot where we started.  I was yelled at for making the right turn turn too fast.  My instructor had a short temper, that’s for sure.

I passed on my first try!  However, after the test, I thought to myself that was easier than I had previously thought.  I didn’t even drive on a main road with other traffic, I didn’t merge on to an expressway and I did not parallel park in a spot where there are two cars.  How is the state suppose to know whether you can do the aforementioned maneuvers and many others? My father helped me out with the rest, but I can say from experience, many people don’t know what they are doing on the road and that contributes to less safe conditions.

One study pointed out that many Americans who are licensed don’t really know what it means when there is a solid yellow line on one side of the center line or what type of lights to use when driving in the fog. (No passing and use your low beams.)  These were multiple choice questions for the New York exam.

Testing should be done every so often to make sure that drivers are competent.  I would even consider raising the driving age or make driver exams more arduous.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/states-worst-best-drivers-test/story?id=10790148#.ULL7V4dX0Uw

New Laws On the Books for NYC’s Commercial Cyclists

Posted on by
1

New York City has many great restaurants and hot spots for people to get the best cuisine or get it delivered.  The next time you see a person on a bike delivering you food they must have completed a training course for safe cycling in the city.  This is an unprecedented move to regulate cyclists in the city who at most times do unsafe things such as running red lights, and going the wrong way on a street.

Starting in January, 2013, commercial delivery cyclists will have to where helmets, safety vests, and abide all moving and safety rules.   They would also have to carry an ID stating the business they work for.  The business they work for would fit the bill for any safety violation while the cyclist would fit the bill for any moving violation. New York City is cracking down on bicycle law breakers as it poses a safety risk to pedestrians, motorists and to the cyclists themselves.

The New York City Department of Transportation has hired six inspectors to inform local businesses of the new rules and to make sure they are prepared for them this coming January.

 

Source: http://transportationnation.org/2012/09/27/bike-inspectors-go-door-to-door-in-nyc-telling-delivery-cyclists-to-toe-the-line/

Source: http://transportationnation.org/2012/10/25/commercial-cyclist-legislation-now-law-in-new-york/

“Smart Highways” will glow in the dark, plus a lot more

Posted on by
Reply

Glow-in-the-Dark Pavement Markings which would improve vision and safety at night.

What if a highway had luminescent markings that absorbed sunlight during the day and can shine during the night.  What if a highway had little pinwheels on the side of the road that generated electricity due to drafts by passing cars.  What if a highway had a lane that charged electric vehicles that drive in a designated lane.  These are only some the futuristic concepts made by Studio Roosegaarde and Heijmans Infrastructure, a Dutch design firm.

Electric Vehicle Charging Lane which will encourage people to leave the combustion engine automobiles.

They say that this is the future of roads instead of just sitting their doing nothing.  However,  I cannot help, but think that the cost alone will be a huge disadvantage as well as the extreme maintenance needed.  I would love to see these concepts implemented one day.  Check out this linkfor more future plans for roads.

 

Source: http://www.gizmag.com/smart-highways/24836/

Electricity Generating Pinwheels will generate electricity and light the road in front of the vehicle at night.

 

Is Suburban Sprawl Good or Bad? Part I

Posted on by
Reply

Suburban Sprawl

Throughout my Lafayette College career, I was accustomed with the idea that suburban sprawl is bad.  It requires a lot more land compared to a city, people have to travel farther to work contributing to longer drives, public transportation is inadequate at these areas and it is a very insipid place.  It also cements the car more in our society.  I even wrote a blog on this topic and described the problems with suburban sprawl.

So if these ideas were implanted in my mind for the last three or so years, how can it be good?  Well, in class this past Tuesday we had a very interesting guest by the name of Mr. Wendell Cox.  He explained that cities should naturally expand and grow to facilitate economic growth.  He went on to say that the only way to eradicate poverty and protect the environment is by achieving economic sustainability.  In other words, in order to have social and environmental sustainability is to first have economic sustainability.

According to Cox, there is a strong correlation between the amount of travel time between one’s job and home that facilitates maximum productive output by people.  I believe he said 45 minutes.  He was against building new expressways to urban centers to reduce travel times, but he stated that cities should expand with no restrictions so people can arrive to work sooner.  Well, how does that work?  Suburban areas are less dense than city centers so there is less congestion on area roads and expressways.  People arrive to work faster and production levels increase consequently achieving economic sustainability.

I am impressed because I feel that this is the first legitimate claim that states that we should endorse suburban sprawl.  I have been hearing the same opinions for years; that suburban sprawl was an egregious consequence of the interstate highway building era.  Mr. Cox gave some interesting points and I will try to get his PowerPoint he presented us and post it on my site.

Bayonne Bridge Reconstruction

Posted on by
3

The Bayonne Bridge

The Bayonne Bridge is the fourth-longest steel arch bridge in the world, and was the longest in the world at the time of its completion. It connects Bayonne, New Jersey with Staten Island, New York, spanning the Kill Van Kull which is a very active route for cargo ships to ports in New Jersey.  Its clearance is 151 ft, but that is no longer large enough for the new cargo ships that have increased there size and height to almost 200 ft.

In order to tackle this problem the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) has approved plans to raise the elevation of the bridge to 215 ft without tearing down the bridge.  It is a national Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, so the Port Authority did not have much of a choice.  It is quite fascinating in the video on how they would complete such an endeavor.

Not only will the bridge be raised to secure continued shipping operations, but additional benefits for the public would also be created.  The existing bridge has a 6 ft walkway, 10 ft wide travel lanes (two in each direction), with neither shoulders nor a median divider.  After the project is completed there will be 12 ft wide travel lanes, 6.5 ft right-hand shoulders, and a median divider for improved safety and to extend the life of the bridge.  Furthermore, a new toll gantry will be installed, allowing for quicker travel over the bridge and there will be a 12 ft wide bikeway/walkway for the entire length of the bridge with access ramps replacing existing stairs.

Source: http://www.panynj.gov/bayonnebridge/

Coordinated Traffic Signals

Posted on by
2

Green lights at consecutive intersections. The next red light in the distance will soon change green to permit vehicles to go.

Cities all over the world, no matter how different, have one problem that they have in common.  That is congestion.  A very easy and cost effective way to decrease congestion and keep traffic moving in the most efficient way is to coordinate signals.  This means that every signal as a motorist drives down a stretch of road will turn green depending on the amount of time it takes to reach the next signal or by the amount of congestion that is detected by the signal.

The time corresponds to whatever the speed limit is on the street which increases safety.  If a motorist drives faster than the speed limit he will hit a red light and stop.  This deters motorists from driving faster than the speed limit.  Manhattan has excellent examples of coordinated traffic signals on its one way north/south avenues.  You can go as much as two miles (roughly 40 streets) without stopping in the best conditions which is excellent for congested Manhattan.

However, I feel that this concept should be applied everywhere including outside of the the center city.  Why not Queens and Brooklyn or Northampton Street in Easton, PA?  I feel like this is a concept that is ideal for the motorist and the pedestrian.  One may argue that the traffic on these roads do not warrant coordinated signaling which is expensive.  However, if you look at an environmental standpoint, the amount of pollution that would be reduced is incredible.  If you look at an efficiency standpoint, people arrive at their destinations faster.  And when people arrive to their destinations faster, there are less vehicles on the streets contributing to a decrease in congestion.

Pittsburgh has implemented successfully a highly intelligent traffic signal system that is shortening commuter times while reducing emissions on congested city streets.  It resulted in a 40 percent reduction in vehicle wait time, 26 percent reduction in car travel time and a 21 percent cut in vehicle emissions.  That is awesome!  Why not do this in every city or on every major corridor?  Perhaps one day.

Source: http://www.popcitymedia.com/innovationnews/smartsignals09262012.aspx?utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Finally%2C+a+traffic+light+that+reduces+po

Transportation State of Emergency

Posted on by
1

Flooded entrance of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel

The New York governor declared an unprecedented transportation state of emergency forthe downstate New York City area.  This is a result of Hurricane Sandy flooding many automobile and train tunnels.  The hurricane caused a large portion of the NYC subway to close.  This resulted in a colossal amount of people driving to work causing massive gridlock in the center city which created a very dangerous situation.  The governor waived fees for rail, subways, and buses to encourage more people to take public transport.  The following link leads to a video describing the state of New York City and its transportation system.

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nbc-news/49632950#49632950

Inflatable Plug in a test tunnel.

It is sad to see that New York’s transportation system is crippled by weather.  I understand that it was an unprecedented storm, but I feel that the system should be designed to withstand storms of this magnitude.  What ever happened to the flood gates or other alternatives that were supposed to be installed?  That could have stopped flooding in tunnels as the following link to an article suggests.  This article explains the use of a inflatable plug for tunnels and how could have prevented the disaster in New York City.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/31/us/new-york-subway-plugs/index.html