Friday, April 1, 2016

What One Should Know About Concrete Sidewalks

By Donna Gibson


A sidewalk refers to that path that is often constructed along the sides of the road. In other countries such as Australia, South Africa, and Britain, it also goes by several other names including pavement, footway, and footpath. Curbs are used to separate concrete sidewalks from the vehicular section of the road. In some cases, a median strip or a road verge is used to separate the footpath from the roadway or to demarcate its boundary on the other side.

In the various states within the United States including Washington, the term sidewalk has been adopted more than other terms referring to the same thing. The term pavement is preferred over sidewalk in Britain and other Commonwealth countries use the term footpath more often. The legal system and civil engineering societies in different countries define sidewalks differently.

The history of sidewalks is a long one and it started in the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece. Evidence indicates that Corinth had paved footpaths by the fourth century. Semitas were specialists in construction of footways in the Roman Empire. The Act for Colchester was one of the earliest efforts to build dedicated paths for pedestrians. Such efforts were in existence going back in 1623 but were less effective.

Following the great fire of London, authorities started making laws that would ensure order in the streets of London as it was being rebuilt. The laws required all streets to be paved adequately for pedestrians. Pubeck stone was the most used paving material at the time. Pedestrians were protected from traffic by installing bollards. In the US, people who own adjoining properties must fund the construction of the sidewalk whether they wish for it to exist or not.

The society benefits hugely from pavements. First, footways improve safely on the road because the separate motorized traffic from pedestrians. Most roads have sidewalks constructed on both sides. Thus, transportation is made easier and this is more evident in locations where there are more people on foot than those in vehicles. Examples of such areas are the various downtown regions in Washington.

Pathways are also responsible for reduced emission of carbon dioxide into the environment. As people opt to walk, the number of vehicle miles travelled is reduced even though on a small scale. Reductions in levels of carbon dioxide emission have been found to reach eight percent in regions with pavements on which people can walk.

Pavements have also been known to improve the general health of the populations that have access to them. People tend to prefer walking or jogging when their neighborhoods have pavements. This translates into reduced rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other health issues that relate to sedentary lifestyles. Additionally, concentration levels among children who walk to school have been found to be higher.

Various materials are used to construct modern pathways. In North America, concrete dominates as the major construction material. However, in Europe, other materials such as tarmac, rubber, asphalt, stone, and slab are in wide use. Some of the materials that were previously in use include brick and wood.




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