Why sidewalks should change.

For decades sidewalks have been poured with contraction joints and score lines (cuts) perpendicular to the sidewalk. They work well for pedestrians and bicycle riders, but they don't do well for folks who use wheelchairs, walkers, strollers, or push carts. Small wheels hit those score lines at the same time and give a jar to those in wheelchairs and can sometimes stop folks using walkers.

Making sidewalks with 70 degree

score lines gives a much smoother ride because the parallel wheels hit the crack at staggered times. It doesn't make a lot of difference for the first ten minutes, but if one uses a wheelchair all day long it can really hurt.

 

It takes just a little longer to make a sidewalk with these angled score lines, but it will help many members of the community. I work in a place with 100+ folks who use wheelchairs. I talked management in to the angled score lines. It has not changed the durability of the sidewalks but it has improved the comfort of our clients. I would love to see this idea go worldwide.