A researcher in Pittsburgh could render obsolete the arduous task of manually inspecting streets for cracks and potholes.
Irena Zhorov reports on an ongoing project by Christoph Mertz, a researcher with Carnegie Mellon University, who has built a computer program that uses photos to detect cracks in pavement. The hope is that the new technology will help cities inspect and maintain streets more efficiently.
Mertz's program "uses photos from the cameras installed in city vehicles — vehicles that would be making rounds in the city anyway, not requiring dedicated city employees’ time. The program breaks the pavement in each picture into a grid and then the photos are combed digitally, using an algorithm, looking for texture. A newly paved road looks flat to the machine, but a road with cracks in it will have texture. Then it calculates how much of the given surface is covered by cracks and scores the road’s condition."
The article includes a lot more information about how the current practice of street maintenance compares to the potential of the program.
FULL STORY: New technology could help cities inspect and maintain streets more efficiently
Audit: Caltrans Ignored Red Flags Before Freeway Fire
A lax inspection schedule contributed to the hazardous conditions that led to the massive blaze that shut down Interstate 10 in Los Angeles last year.
Cost of Electric Vehicles Will Soon Rival Gasoline Counterparts
As soon as a few years from now, electric sedans will cost the same as an equivalent gas vehicle. A team at Carnegie Mellon University is researching how long it will take for other types of electric vehicles to catch up.
Oakland Keeps its DOT, Moves Forward With Innovative Street Repaving Plan
The city of Oakland had a particularly tough budget approval process this year. The future of capital investments in the city's transportation system was at stake.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
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A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
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Planetizen
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Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service