The World Will End With a Bang, As You Lose Your Axle

Seattle environmental think tank Sightline recently reported that three out of five petroleum geologists surveyed think world oil production will peak within ten years. (More than ten percent think it's already happened.)

What that means for us is more potholes. As the AP reports: "Asphalt is becoming scarce as U.S. refiners overhaul their equipment to maximize output of highly profitable fuels such as diesel and gasoline, using inexpensive—and hard to process—crude oil." A local asphalt supplier has already been affected, putting a crimp in at least two counties' paving plans. Scarce equals expensive, which means repaving will be delayed, and holes patched with "watered-down" asphalt that fails quickly, as you've noticed.

A wooden-planked Genesee Street under construction, Seattle, April 16, 1913, photo property of the Rainier Valley Historical Society

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By MvB in News on November 10, 2008 10:00 AM

Comments [rss]

MvB

There, Troy! Is bringing back a picture of mud and wood planks good enough?

@Matt G1: Yeah, that's the big Door #2, concrete. But I do know from talking to the Port about their new concrete runway that concrete's production can be cleaned up (at extra cost), and then of course it lasts a lot longer. Can you amortize GHG emissions?

Matt G1

My fear is that we'll go to all concrete, which is terrrrible for the environment (uses coal, which is a huge carbon emitter). Of course, with no gasoline to run our cars, maybe there won't be a need for roads (anyone else really happy we just passed Prop 1 - more all electric rail?).