When you think of sidewalks, you most likely think of concrete. Though it makes up the vast majority of sidewalks, concrete isn't the only game in town.
From bricks to cobblestones to recycled rubber, there are plenty of material options for sidewalks. But concrete is likely the cheapest.
"For most American cities, concrete is the go-to choice for building sidewalks. It's relatively cheap to install - only about $12 per square foot - and it's very solid. Its pale color reflects light, reducing nighttime illumination costs for cities compared to darker-hued alternatives. Plus, if adequately maintained, concrete can last up to eighty years.
Yet concrete also has its downsides: Manufacturing it has a high carbon footprint, since its fabrication requires the energy-intensive heating of limestone; it has a tendency to crack when tree routes grow underneath it; and it has no porosity, depriving the ground under it of essential ground water and increasing runoff problems."
FULL STORY: The Sidewalks of Today and Tomorrow: Is Concrete Our Only Option?
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A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions