roads

14 Stories

At Wikipedia, High Drama Over Roads and Highways

A dispute over sourcing caused editors to 'fork' their 15K articles onto a new site

(Newser) - Since launching in 2001, Wikipedia has become ubiquitous, beloved by search engines that bubble it up to the top of related queries. But a rift at the open-source platform, as reported by Gizmodo and Slate , reveals that some of its page-level rules are being challenged by its steadfast community-run editors,...

On Florida's Roads, 'Deja Vu All Over Again'
On Florida's Roads,
'Deja Vu All Over Again'
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Nov 4, 2023 6:30 AM CDT

On Florida's Roads, 'Deja Vu All Over Again'

Mysterious yellow lines keep popping up in the middle of St. Johns County thoroughfares

(Newser) - There's plenty of other stuff to worry about, but a roadway mystery has captured the attention of residents in Florida's St. Johns County. WSVN describes an "enigmatic marking" that's popped up along US 1 near St. Augustine: a nearly 2-mile-long yellow line, between International Golf Parkway...

Florida Is Ready to Pave Roads With Radioactive Substance

Critics of the bill worry toxic phosphogypsum could taint local waterways

(Newser) - Lawmakers in Florida have proposed legislation that could change the fabric of the state's infrastructure, reports NPR . The controversial proposal aims to use radioactive material, specifically a waste substance produced by the fertilizer industry called phosphogypsum, as a component in pavement on the state's roads. Bill advocates argue...

It's Time to Change the 'Natural State of Things' on Our Roads

Farhad Manjoo calls for inconveniencing drivers in order to save lives and the planet

(Newser) - After a 13-year-old bicyclist was fatally hit by a truck in Mountain View, Calif., police called it an "extremely tragic incident." The driver had legally turned right on a red light, just as Andre Retana fell off his bike in the crosswalk; he was in the construction truck'...

In Biden's Plan, Roads and Bridges Are Just the Start

The 8-year proposal stresses investment, addressing inequities

(Newser) - The Biden administration released details Wednesday on its jobs and infrastructure plan, a $2 trillion proposal to address long-ignored needs and problems. The plan budgets $115 billion for roads and highways and bridges—rebuilding 10 major bridges and 10,000 smaller ones, as well as 20,000 miles of road....

In Japan, People Do a Weird Thing After a Night of Drinking

Officials worry 'road sleeping' is going to lead to more people getting hurt in Okinawa

(Newser) - There's a strange phenomenon that has overtaken the Okinawa prefecture in Japan, and police can't figure out a way to stop it. "Road sleeping," or rojo-ne in Japanese, seems to be what people like to do there after a night of drinking, and it means that...

The American Dream of a Paved Future Is Crumbling
The American Dream of a
Paved Future Is Crumbling
Longform
Nov 24, 2017 2:26 PM CST

The American Dream of a Paved Future Is Crumbling

'If the roads are failing, it means government is failing'

(Newser) - “I never dreamed that by the end of my career we would be talking about having to go back to gravel,” a former highway department head tells Harper's Magazine , which takes a deep look at America's "countless failed roads." One nonprofit estimates that more...

Civil War-Era 'Corduroy Road' Uncovered in Michigan

The road is made of logs

(Newser) - Before the days of asphalt, Americans got around on "corduroy roads" made of logs, which were particularly useful for traversing swampy stretches of land. In a welcome blast from the past, Michigan's own versions have resurfaced after more than a century. Workers digging for a construction project in...

With Money Tight, More Towns Are Unpaving Their Roads

Public works spending isn't keeping up with basic maintenance costs

(Newser) - With infrastructure spending at a low point and infrastructure itself getting a D grade as judged by the American Society of Civil Engineers, paved roads that are crumbling and full of potholes are becoming more commonplace. And now, according to a new report out by the National Highway Cooperative Highway...

Over a Year, Russian Official Quietly Stole a 30-Mile Road

He then sold off the slabs for profit: cops

(Newser) - Jokes about highway robbery abound after a Russian prison chief was arrested and charged with the unlikely crime of having stolen a 30-mile stretch of public road. Russia's Investigative Committee says Alexander Protopopov directed the deconstruction of a concrete highway in the sparsely populated Komi region, where he was...

Optical Illusion to Slow Down Florida Drivers

Closer road lines may get drivers to brake in pilot program

(Newser) - If you can't get drivers to slow down on their own, why not trick them into it? That's the idea behind a pilot program in Florida that will give drivers the illusion they're driving faster than they are. How exactly? With road "hash marks" painted gradually...

Man Steals ... a Road?
 Man Steals ... a Road? 
Aug 3, 2013 10:25 AM CDT

Man Steals ... a Road?

Alas, he doesn't get far in Russia

(Newser) - We've heard of people stealing a bridge , but stealing a road? Such is the case in Russia, where a resident in the city of Syktyvkar confessed to doing just that and now faces two years in prison, reports RIA Novosti . He probably didn't have much of a choice...

Canada Used Agent Orange on Roads Until 1980

Government promises inquiry after newspaper's probe

(Newser) - Canada used Agent Orange, the Vietnam War-era chemical linked to genetic defects, as a means of clearing roadside brush until about 1980. A Toronto Star investigation found that Canada’s forestry workers faced exposure to the chemical, poured from planes, starting in the 1950s; the government promises an inquiry, amid...

We're Headed for Another Bridge Disaster

Spans need fixing, but Congress dithers

(Newser) - Some not-so-fun facts to ponder on your next drive: More than 151,000 of the nation's bridges—that's about 25%—are deemed structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, writes blogger Dr. Denny at Scholars and Rogues . It's true that the number is decreasing, but only incrementally. "At this rate, America...

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