Rather than being part of a car liberation or permeable pavement movement, poorly maintained county roads are having their asphalt ground into gravel as a cost-cutting measure to avoid costly road reconstruction. Lack of funding is the cause.
Imagine a huge Catepillar machine that pulverizes asphalt and spits out gravel in its wake. This and similar 'downgrading' processes has occurred on roads in "at least 38 of the 83 counties in Michigan" and at least 100 road miles in South Dakota.
"Paved roads, historical emblems of American achievement, are being torn up across rural America and replaced with gravel or other rough surfaces as counties struggle with tight budgets and dwindling state and federal revenue.
Rebuilding an asphalt road today is particularly expensive because the price of asphalt cement, a petroleum-based material mixed with rocks to make asphalt, has more than doubled over the past 10 years. Gravel becomes a cheaper option once an asphalt road has been neglected for so long that major rehabilitation is necessary."
However, as one pavement expert noted, "we're leaving an awful legacy for future generations."
Thanks to Mark Boshnack
FULL STORY: Roads to Ruin: Towns Rip Up the Pavement
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Camiros
City of San Mateo
San Francisco County Transportation Authority
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Salinas
Village of Park Forest
Mid Valley Partners
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
