Mumbai, Shanghai, NYC, and Miami all have something in common: they’re heavily populated and have rapidly rising sea levels. Climate change is causing sea levels to rise, putting many places at risk. For example, Jakarta, by the opinion of some, is the fastest sinking city in the whole world. There are even projections that it will be completely underwater by 2050.
Have you ever noticed the amount of road in your area? Those roads might also contribute to climate change. The United States has approximately 18 billion tons of asphalt pavement on its millions of roads. Roads themselves contribute to emissions, and therefore climate change. In California, alone, pavement releases about 0.7% of greenhouse gas emissions. That might not sound like a lot, but that’s 3 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year.
One proposed solution to our shrinking landmass and gassy roads is to move all roads underground. Some cities have already started to transition. In 1863, in order to reduce traffic, London opened the first underground railway. The current asphalt roads that sprawl across the United States have their own flaws. As more are built, congestion is increasing. More people own cars in America. The United States ranked first in the amount of vehicles in use in 2019.
The idea of moving all roads underground is promising. Traffic wastes large amounts of time, and causes majority of the air and noise pollution. Relocating every single one of the world’s roads would be interesting to see. It would free up space for farming, connect habitats together, and stop blocking water flow. The relocated roads could be used for pedestrians, with cars being gone.
Underground infrastructure, such as underground roads, could also be less at risk from earthquakes. Buildings fall down during earthquakes because earthquakes displace the foundation. Then, the building would fall, creating many safety hazards. If the relocation of roads could be implemented properly, then it could bring many benefits.
Implementation could be difficult. The United States has had these roads for so long, so moving them would take a long time, and potentially add more traffic complications. However, we are moving in the right direction. Looking to the future is sure to help.
Link: https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1656876043881x568553517446523700/What%20if%20all%20roads%20went%20underground_%20-%20BBC%20Future.pdf
Have you ever noticed the amount of road in your area? Those roads might also contribute to climate change. The United States has approximately 18 billion tons of asphalt pavement on its millions of roads. Roads themselves contribute to emissions, and therefore climate change. In California, alone, pavement releases about 0.7% of greenhouse gas emissions. That might not sound like a lot, but that’s 3 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year.
One proposed solution to our shrinking landmass and gassy roads is to move all roads underground. Some cities have already started to transition. In 1863, in order to reduce traffic, London opened the first underground railway. The current asphalt roads that sprawl across the United States have their own flaws. As more are built, congestion is increasing. More people own cars in America. The United States ranked first in the amount of vehicles in use in 2019.
The idea of moving all roads underground is promising. Traffic wastes large amounts of time, and causes majority of the air and noise pollution. Relocating every single one of the world’s roads would be interesting to see. It would free up space for farming, connect habitats together, and stop blocking water flow. The relocated roads could be used for pedestrians, with cars being gone.
Underground infrastructure, such as underground roads, could also be less at risk from earthquakes. Buildings fall down during earthquakes because earthquakes displace the foundation. Then, the building would fall, creating many safety hazards. If the relocation of roads could be implemented properly, then it could bring many benefits.
Implementation could be difficult. The United States has had these roads for so long, so moving them would take a long time, and potentially add more traffic complications. However, we are moving in the right direction. Looking to the future is sure to help.
Link: https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1656876043881x568553517446523700/What%20if%20all%20roads%20went%20underground_%20-%20BBC%20Future.pdf
