In the 1920’s the slogan of the Automobile Club of Southern California was “Good Roads”
The logo from a 1923 auto club map
It is time to refocus on “Good Roads.” But this time lets call it “Smooth Roads.” Smooth Roads will improve the environment, reduce fossil fuel consumption, lower everyone’s carbon footprint and improve the general state of happiness.
Will smoother roads accomplish the startling claims above? To find out try this mind experiment. Imagine two roads from your house to the State Capital. One is potholed, badly marked, ill maintained and hilly. The other is smooth and generally flat with gentle turns and excellent signage. Which one would you take? Why? Because the nicer ride would be easier on your car, easier on your nerves and it would consume less gas. You already do. You take the interstate. Imagine the interstate everywhere but better. Now you have seen smooth roads
But you say: “Simon even if what you say is true, there isn’t any money to build these beautiful smooth environmental roads.” But there is money to tax carbon, subsidize windmills and solar panels and to build expensive mass transit systems that nobody wants to ride. If that money were allocated instead to “Smooth Roads” more energy would be saved and the general welfare would increase dramatically.
The good news is that after it is shown that smooth roads can reduce fuel consumption significantly there will be a huge constituency for getting it done. Construction unions, construction companies, the states departments of transportation and the engineering profession are a few of the interest groups that would support the “Smoother Roads” initiative. But the biggest constituency would be the driving public and they vote.
This is a win win idea. I imagine a future when the roads are so smooth that all cars have the aerodynamic road-hugging look of Formula 1 cars and get 60 mpg. Wow! Please email this idea to Al Gore.