How Can Pavement Enhance a Community? - COX Pavement Consulting, LLC

3 Ways A Well Designed Pavement Project Enhances a Community

Every community has them. A set of roadways, parking areas and sidewalks that are vital to the proper functioning of the community. These structures are generally the largest and most expensive shared asset within a community.

More than just pieces of pavement these areas are the one thing that each member of the community uses and are the first thing that visitors to a community experience. Ensuring that each of these assets stays functional requires maintaining them over a long period of time. Whether it's a pavement maintenance, rehab or reconstruction project, the right design is crucial for meeting the community's needs. This means that the pavement in a community is not only structurally sound but helps to enhance the community.

The following are three ways that a well designed pavement project enhances a community -

Safety - This is an item that is easy to overlook. Many times the first worry is curb appeal or drivability but a critical element of any area of pavement is how safe it is to use. Sidewalks need to be free of trip hazards and low areas that can collect water. Roadways need to be free of potholes or other uneven areas to ensure safe driving. A rushed design that is completed without the community's best interest in mind can often disregard or overlook dealing with these issues.
Added Value - The right design for a pavement project ensures that the community is getting the project that they need and have a budget for, but also one that adds to the appeal of the neighborhood. This extra appeal can add to the value of the community and attract future homeowners with the knowledge that one critical piece of the community infrastructure has been well designed and less likely to be an unexpected expense in the future.
Tie the Community Together - The pavement in a community isn't merely the concrete and asphalt or curbs and sidewalks. It's the way each of those pieces work individually and collectively. By having a pavement project that takes into account all aspects of the pavement system and the community's needs, a better more comprehensive design can emerge. Pavement design plans should take both vehicle and pedestrian areas into consideration and ensure that the installed pavement ties together and enhances the community.