It takes incredible amounts of energy to melt snow. Michigan gets most of its electricity from natural gas and still has significant coal fired plants.
Ah, right. Obviously. Because the same amount of water needs to change phase.
Still, in that time this road will be walkable, while others may not. And you still avoid the piles of snow and salt runoff that come with a non-heated surface.
Seems like they are only installing the heat under the roadway, so walkable may not be the best word unless we expect pedestrains to share a lane with cars in the winter.
Seems like they are only installing the heat under the roadway, so walkable may not be the best word unless we expect pedestrains to share a lane with cars in the winter.
There aren’t many cars that use this street. Traffic historically is: people going into the less-utilized side of the parking garage under the performance hall/convention center, valet parking for the hotel, and loading/unloading of shows at the performance hall or ballroom. It’s a small street with a turnaround at the end, and then the Grand River. And a walking bridge across said river to the Gerald R Ford Presidential Library and Museum.
Even though it sure seems like the construction is completed, that parking garage entrance/exit still has not reopened. I’m not sure it will (which is very mildly frustrating for me, I perform at that hall a few times a year and prefer that access point because most people use the other).
They’ve added new pedestrian-focused stuff closer to the river, like a nice seating area and a better flow to the walking bridge. I wouldn’t be shocked if they already heated these sidewalks. This also improves access to the area behind the performance hall and convention center, which has some nice tables and seating and a good view of the river.
This all complements the ongoing “Restore the Rapids” project, which is aiming to make the river more pleasing to look at (it’s already beautiful, it’s just rather tame nowadays after various efforts over the last 175 years or so to harness it).
Anyway, my point is that street already served more pedestrians than cars before this redesign effort, and I suspect it will be even more pedestrian-focused now.
Depends on sunlight, and the color of the pavement. For dark asphalt, simply preventing a dusting of white snow goes a long way at converting the sunlight into heat, basically for free.
It takes incredible amounts of energy to melt snow. Michigan gets most of its electricity from natural gas and still has significant coal fired plants.
It takes much less energy to prevent the accumulation in the first place. Which is the goal with this sort of setup.
It takes exactly the same amount of power. It’s just spread over a longer time period.
Ah, right. Obviously. Because the same amount of water needs to change phase.
Still, in that time this road will be walkable, while others may not. And you still avoid the piles of snow and salt runoff that come with a non-heated surface.
Seems like they are only installing the heat under the roadway, so walkable may not be the best word unless we expect pedestrains to share a lane with cars in the winter.
There aren’t many cars that use this street. Traffic historically is: people going into the less-utilized side of the parking garage under the performance hall/convention center, valet parking for the hotel, and loading/unloading of shows at the performance hall or ballroom. It’s a small street with a turnaround at the end, and then the Grand River. And a walking bridge across said river to the Gerald R Ford Presidential Library and Museum.
Even though it sure seems like the construction is completed, that parking garage entrance/exit still has not reopened. I’m not sure it will (which is very mildly frustrating for me, I perform at that hall a few times a year and prefer that access point because most people use the other).
They’ve added new pedestrian-focused stuff closer to the river, like a nice seating area and a better flow to the walking bridge. I wouldn’t be shocked if they already heated these sidewalks. This also improves access to the area behind the performance hall and convention center, which has some nice tables and seating and a good view of the river.
This all complements the ongoing “Restore the Rapids” project, which is aiming to make the river more pleasing to look at (it’s already beautiful, it’s just rather tame nowadays after various efforts over the last 175 years or so to harness it).
Anyway, my point is that street already served more pedestrians than cars before this redesign effort, and I suspect it will be even more pedestrian-focused now.
Depends on sunlight, and the color of the pavement. For dark asphalt, simply preventing a dusting of white snow goes a long way at converting the sunlight into heat, basically for free.
Ok, just plow it first like other areas do. Then maintain it/melt the ice with the roads.