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Sidewalk


 
 


A sidewalk (chiefly North American EnglishNorth American English

North American English is a collective term used for the varieties of the English language that are spoken in the United Sta...
), pavement, footpath or footway is a pathTrail

A trail or footpath is a pedestrian road mainly used for recreational walking, but often also for bicycling, cross-cou...
 for pedestrians that is situated alongside a roadRoad

A road is an identifiable route or path between two or more places....
 or formed like sidewalks that are alongside roads (such as a concrete footpath through a park). A sidewalk may accommodate moderate changes in grade. However, "walkway" is a more complete term for support of walking, and includes stairs, ramps, paseos (passageways) and related off-street tools that provide for a developed pathway.

Construction of sidewalks

In the 19th century and early 20th century, sidewalks of woodBoardwalk

A boardwalk is a wooden path for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles....
 were common in some locations. They may still be found at historic beach locations and in conservation areas to protect the land beneath and around, called boardwalkBoardwalk

A boardwalk is a wooden path for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles....
s. Contemporary sidewalks are most often made of concreteConcrete

In construction, concrete is a composite building material made from the combination of aggregate and a cement binder....
 (particularly in the United StatesUnited States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is...
 and CanadaCanada

Canada is the world's second-largest country by total area, occupying most of northern North America....
), tarmacTarmac

Tarmac is a type of highway surface....
, asphaltAsphalt

Asphalt is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natu...
, brickBrick

Brick is an artificial stone made by forming clay into rectangular blocks which are hardened, either by burning in a kiln or...
 (particularly in EuropeEurope

Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth....
), stoneList of stone

Geographical list of stone used for decorative purposes in construction and sculpture; currently or historically produced in...
, slabSlab

Slab can refer to:* slab, a unit of storage unique to the NCR 315...
  or (increasingly) rubberRubber

Rubber is an elastic hydrocarbon polymer which occurs as a milky emulsion in the sap of several varieties of plants....
. Multi-use paths alongside roads are sometimes made of materials that are softer than cement, such as asphalt.

In the United StatesUnited States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is...
, the most common type of sidewalk consists of a poured concrete ribbon with cross-lying strain relief grooves at intervals of ~1 m; this is intended to minimize visible damage from tectonic and temperature fluctuations, both of which can crack longer segments. However, freeze-thaw cycles (in cold-weather regions) and tree root growth can eventually result in damage which requires repair. Brick sidewalks are found in some urban areas, usually for aesthetic purposes. Brick sidewalk construction usually involves the usage of a mechanical vibrator to lock the bricks in place after they have been layed (and/or to prepare the soil before laying). Although this might also be done by other tools (as regular hammers and heavy rolls), a vibrator is often used to speed up the process.

In other countries, suburban pavements are most commonly used. This kind of approach (using pavements) is more economical and sometimes more environmentally-friendly, depending on what material is used (e.g. trass instead of energy intensive portland cement concrete or petroleum-based materials as asphalt or tar-penetration macadam). In the United KingdomUnited Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state that lies off the northwest coast...
 the suburban pavements are most commonly constructed of tarmacFacts About Tarmac

Tarmac is a type of highway surface....
, which is however not more environmentally friendly. In urbanUrban area Overview

An urban area is an area with an increased density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it....
 or inner-city areas pavements are most commonly constructed of slabs, stone, or brick depending upon the surrounding street architectureArchitecture

* Architectural history* Architectural mythology...
 and furnitureStreet furniture

Street furniture is a collective term for objects and pieces of equipment installed on streets and roads for various purpose...


StoneRock (geology)

A rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids....
 slabs called flagstoneFlagstone

Flagstone is a type of flat stone, usually used for paving slabs, but also for making fences or roofing....
s
or flags are sometimes used where an attractive appearance is required, as in historic town centres. In other places, pre-cast concrete slabs (called paving slabs or, less correctly, paving stones) are used. These may be coloured or textured to resemble stone.

Effects of sidewalks

The Crash Reduction Factor (used to estimate the expected reduction of crashes during a given period) for the installation of sidewalks averages 74%.
Note that, compared to sidewalks, the maximum speed limit is a much more significant factor in the likelihood of a vehicle/pedestrian crash. Sidewalk presence has a risk ratio of 0.118, which means that the likelihood of a site with a paved sidewalk being a crash site is 88.2 percent lower than a site without a sidewalk. The speed limit risk ratio is 1.116, which means that a 16.1-km/h (10-mi/h) increase in the limit yields a factor of (1.116)10 or 3.

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See also

  • PavementFacts About Pavement

    Pavement may refer to:* Pavement: An American English term referring to the durable surfacing of roads and walkways....
  • CaféCafé

    A caf? or coffee shop is an informal restaurant offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches....
  • Crosswalk
  • CurbCurb (road)

    A curb or kerb is the edge where a raised sidewalk/pavement/footpath, road median, or road shoulder meets an unraised ...
    , Curb rampCurb ramp

    A curb ramp is an accessible transition from the low side of a curb to the high side....
  • Desire linesDesire lines

    A desire line is the abstract line that represents the airline distance between an origin and destination, and shows where p...
  • Portuguese pavementPortuguese pavement

    Portuguese pavement, is the traditional paving used in most pedestrian areas in Portugal....
  • Public spacePublic space

    A public space refers to an area or place that is open and accessible to all citizens, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity...
  • Sidewalk chalkSidewalk chalk Overview

    Sidewalk chalk is large colored chalk used mostly by children in a variety of activities, but is mostly restricted to drawin...
  • CobblestoneFacts About Cobblestone

    Cobblestones are stones used in the pavement of early streets....


External links

  • a member-based advocacy group dedicated to making metro Atlanta safe and accessible for all pedestrians.
  • , a U.S.A.-based clearinghouse for information for pedestrians (including transit users) and bicyclists.