After another Leith Walk consultation I have the open question of how dutch side roads entrances are constructed.
The design team were interested in this concept but worry about the load tolerance of a side road entrance that visually is seamless for bicycles and pedestrians. Does anyone know of good information about surfaces that is strong enough for cars but visually looks like pavement (and cycle paths).
The common theme seems to be small flat bricks like above or like Exhibition Rd
The cycle infrastructure should be constructed with a smooth tarmac surfacing, so I'd imagine the construction should be identical, or similar to that of the roadway itself - to stand up to the same loading.
As for the paving for the footway - I'm not entirely sure. It's interesting - but perhaps not surprising - that a design team don't apparently know how to design a footway to stand up to motor vehicle traffic.
One thing I would say in passing is that these treatments shouldn't have too much motor traffic passing across them anyway, to limit potential conflict - i.e. they should be quiet side streets, with under 2-3000 PCU turning in or out, per day.
Paving would look messy after someone parks a HGV on it. Then there's re-instatement after the utilities have dug their holes.
Depending on the side road flows you don't necessarily need to go for full pavement construction - using a normal 'vehicle crossing' construction could work, particularly if you could prevent HGV access.
It's the blacktop/paving that takes the vehicle loads, so that's the bit that needs beefing up, whilst maintaining the same depths of subbase and capping (the formation), which are there due to the condition of the underlying soils.
Obviously with the interface between the footway and carriageway we can use kerbs, channel blocks or even just edging to allow for the two differing depths of construction but, as I said, we do transitions between footways and the slightly thicker vehicle crossings all the time, so it shouldn't be rocket surgery.
BTW are we talking about retrofitting this continuous footway into an existing mainline, side road and footway construction or is this a complete new build?
I belive this is complete new build, they've already reorientated the side streets from an earlier phase so they are perpendicular to the street and narrower raised tables.
Typically the dutch use a smaller but thicker concrete block that matches the footway. The ramps are made from a product called "Inritbloken" which you can't get here but asphalt or concrete ramps can substitute. Using raised tables at side roads made from concrete blocks is v.v. Common here, particularly in some inner London boroughs although normally no effort to match footway. Some highway engineers are v.reluctant to match the table to the footway or to rely on materials rather than highway give way markings. Also likely that RNIB will ask for tactiles to demark edge of area crossed by vehicles.
Typically the dutch use a smaller but thicker concrete block that matches the footway. The ramps are made from a product called "Inritbloken" which you can't get here but asphalt or concrete ramps can substitute. Using raised tables at side roads made from concrete blocks is v.v. Common here, particularly in some inner London boroughs although normally no effort to match footway. Some highway engineers are v.reluctant to match the table to the footway or to rely on materials rather than highway give way markings. Also likely that RNIB will ask for tactiles to demark edge of area crossed by vehicles.
Why do we ignore crossovers? I have significant balance issues when walking and level continuous surfaces are a must, not the awful pavements that seem to be built deliberately!
http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2011/08/but-we-have-driveways.html
Why do we ignore crossovers? I have significant balance issues when walking and level continuous surfaces are a must, not the awful pavements that seem to be built deliberately!
http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2011/08/but-we-have-driveways.html
Why do we ignore crossovers? I have significant balance issues when walking and level continuous surfaces are a must, not the awful pavements that seem to be built deliberately!
http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2011/08/but-we-have-driveways.html
