The Hill

Writing for The Hill, Principal Research Scientist Randolph Kirchain and Research Scientist Hessam Azarijafari address the impact of the nation’s road system on transportation emissions. “Investing in a higher-performance road system is a level within state control that will improve the efficiency and carbon emissions of all vehicles, regardless of how each is powered,” write Kirchain and Azarijafari. “Smoother, stiffer roads allow cars to travel along it more efficiently. Every time a car tire traverses a bump, crack, or pothole, energy is wasted. These imperfections in the road cause energy to be dissipated through the vehicle’s suspension.”