On Wednesday, the students of King Middle School put on a splendid show titled “Smart City Project, Portland, Maine.” The focus was on the sustainability of our city.
The presentation took place in City Council Chambers at City Hall. The subjects discussed ranged from putting solar panels on all city buildings to citywide Wi-Fi and tidal turbines on the city’s islands.
One of the most interesting projects was that of building roads that produce electricity through the load pressure of the passing traffic, an approach already tested in Wyoming.
Another idea was to put Interstate 295 underground as it passes through the peninsula. Students estimated that it would cost $3.1 billion.
Other proposals included a bike lane and a bus lane on every street, bike rentals provided by the city, a citywide compost program, and small wind turbines on top of every building.
The students discussed their projects in the council chambers, and then we moved to the State of Maine Room, where the students used models, videos and handouts to demonstrate their projects. In all, it was a wonderful show!
Alfred A. Padula
Portland
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