Skip to content 
Most of us are familiar with “smart” technology. In fact, it’s likely that you own something “smart,” whether it’s a smart phone, a smart TV, smart apps, or even smart kitchen appliances. However, chances are you have never heard of smart pavement. Although that may sound strange – after all, how can pavement be smart, right? — thanks to technology, smart pavement actually exists, and it will probably become more and more common in the coming years.
Smart pavement refers to roads that have been designed to accommodate radio-connected sensors and other IT technology that provide valuable information and services. The sensors and technological capabilities are embedded into the pavement during construction, and they are intended for the following purposes:
The possibilities presented by incorporating technological advances into roadway pavement have been studied at length recently by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). So while smart pavement may sound like something from a science fiction movie, the technology actually exists today. In fact, “smart roads” have already been constructed in cities around the world. One of the first smart roads in the U.S. is slated to be built and tested on a stretch of U.S. 285 in Colorado. Another is scheduled to be created along Interstate 70 in Missouri.
As our infrastructure inside the U.S. continues to age, and more and more roadways need to be repaired or replaced altogether, one of the greatest benefits of smart road technology may be the money it can save and generate for transportation departments throughout the country. Someday in the not-too-distant future, we could all be driving on smart pavement!
Smart pavement refers to roads that have been designed to accommodate radio-connected sensors and other IT technology that provide valuable information and services. The sensors and technological capabilities are embedded into the pavement during construction, and they are intended for the following purposes:
- Sensors would monitor the road’s condition, which would help transportation engineers to better determine how and when the road needs to be maintained and/or repaired. These sensors are capable of providing valuable information regarding damage to the road that might not be visible on the surface. This would allow engineers to arrange for repairs to be made before the damage becomes worse, and that would save money.
- A high capacity broadband network that is embedded into the pavement could provide improved WiFi services to vehicles that utilize the road. Extra bandwidth could then be sold by the local transportation department to homes and businesses that are located alongside the roadway, thereby providing additional much-needed revenue to the transportation department.
- Embedded technology could provide electric charge for electric cars as they use the road, thereby cutting down on the number of times the cars have to stop for recharging.
- Other technology would actually identify roadway hazards and transmit that information directly to vehicles, thereby improving traffic flow and reducing the number of accidents that occur on the roadway.
The possibilities presented by incorporating technological advances into roadway pavement have been studied at length recently by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). So while smart pavement may sound like something from a science fiction movie, the technology actually exists today. In fact, “smart roads” have already been constructed in cities around the world. One of the first smart roads in the U.S. is slated to be built and tested on a stretch of U.S. 285 in Colorado. Another is scheduled to be created along Interstate 70 in Missouri.
As our infrastructure inside the U.S. continues to age, and more and more roadways need to be repaired or replaced altogether, one of the greatest benefits of smart road technology may be the money it can save and generate for transportation departments throughout the country. Someday in the not-too-distant future, we could all be driving on smart pavement!
