New Surfacing on trails

MODS: please move to appropriate thread area if this isn't it...

A few years back now, the City installed walking trials along the median of Grand Boulevard/SW 36th. They were an immediate hit with residents. On a consistent basis, I would see kids riding their bicycles, families would take walks, pushing strollers. Even in the intense 100 + degree heat we were having. The added life to the street certainly made the neighborhood feel safer again. Then recently they resurfaced them and while they look nice, the blacktop that they resurfaced the concrete trail/sidewalk with had an unintended consequence. I was by there several times over the weekend at different times of day from morning to dusk, now not a single person is using them. Can only imagine it being because of the extra heat collected/reflected back onto anyone using it.

Here you go Larry. This is why zoos and amusement parks that sell sodas use asphalt.

http://www.pavements4life.com/QDs/QD007/5.gif

That would explain why folks aren't using them...but the City isn't selling sodas on the trails...so why did they choose to resurface them with the blacktop (esp since with the high cost of oil/asphalt...the reason why we are not getting anywhere near the number of trails in MAPS 3 as promised)?????

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Originally Posted by Larry OKC

That would explain why folks aren't using them...but the City isn't selling sodas on the trails...so why did they choose to resurface them with the blacktop (esp since with the high cost of oil/asphalt...the reason why we are not getting anywhere near the number of trails in MAPS 3 as promised)?????

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I always understood that asphalt was less expensive that concrete ? anybody...?

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Originally Posted by Bellaboo

I always understood that asphalt was less expensive that concrete ? anybody...?

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Costs are about the same nowadays, concrete lasts longer but costs a bit more to start. Asphalt lasts a lot longer on a trail though since there's virtually no heavy load. The train in question here was originally asphalt, so there's not really a problem. Give it time and people will be back.

It's a Gary Ridley conspiracy.

The trails at Bluff Creek Park (Hefner and Meridan) will need to be repaired. Cracks are occuring in the blacktop.

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Originally Posted by cafeboeuf

Costs are about the same nowadays, concrete lasts longer but costs a bit more to start. Asphalt lasts a lot longer on a trail though since there's virtually no heavy load. The train in question here was originally asphalt, so there's not really a problem. Give it time and people will be back.

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Not true, for this type of construction, the use of asphalt is at least 40% cheaper just in material cost alone. Factor in laborer and its closer to 60%

Are there any walking or biking trails in the city area that aren't blacktop?

The high cost of oil/asphalt was given by the MAPS 3 consultants when they drew up the real timeline, as the reason for us not getting the full 57 miles of Trails in MAPS 3 (if memory serves, they trimmed 12 miles out of it). Now if prices have come back down to cheaper than concrete, that is good news for the completion of the Trails but then again, if no one uses them (as is happening now on the resurfaced ones along SW 36th/Grand, what is the point?

ljbab728: as far as I know the entire length of the trails/sidewalks but in along Grand were concrete

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Originally Posted by cafeboeuf

Costs are about the same nowadays, concrete lasts longer but costs a bit more to start. Asphalt lasts a lot longer on a trail though since there's virtually no heavy load. The train in question here was originally asphalt, so there's not really a problem. Give it time and people will be back.

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Before they built the concrete trail there was no trail in the median along Grand/SW 36th, until recently, it has always been concrete. But you are right about there not being any heavy load...to the point of there not being any load at all now.

I'm thinking of a bell curve with the Y-axis (vert) showing the number of users on a trail, and the X-axis (horiz) showing the temp. Friday afternoon & 72 degrees and nobody's at work!

You really notice the difference, too. I don't ride the grand trail, but most of my bike commute is on concrete streets. The few spots that are blacktop are really, significantly hotter when you're on them for any length of time.

That being said, I'd take a blacktop trail/bike lane over none at all. :P