The Latest Trend in Transportation Infrastructure: Un-Paving Roads

Aarian Marshall reports on a trend among cash-strapped towns: un-paving roads. According to Marshall, "rural areas all over the country are embracing this kind of strategic retreat." In fact, "Transportation agencies in at least 27 states have unpaved roads, according to a new report from the National Highway Cooperative Highway Research program."

Marshall's exploration of the trend centers on the city of Montpellier, Vermont, which is at the leading edge of the ongoing transportation budget experiment. The results of the experiment are still playing themselves out. For instance, unintended consequences of un-paving might include drivers switching from fuel-efficient cars, like a Prius, to a more durable sports utility vehicle.

However, the experiment is taking a scientific approach. "There are serious engineers and scientists—entire academic institutes, even—who study how to un-pave in smart ways. Crews can even tamp down dust problems by regularly applying water-absorbing calcium chloride, organic petroleum, and vegetable oils and animal fats," reports Marshall.