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4 Spring 1988 Crossroads Is curb and gutter really needed? Developers and homeowners often argue that curb and gutter costs too much and is not necessary. Some homeowners prefer the rural appearance of streets without curb and gutter which are sometimes called ribbon -paved streets. There are many good reasons why public officials should continue to insist on curb and gutter for most street construction. While ribbon paving is less expen- sive initially, curb and gutter makes a street substan- tially more economical to maintain over its lifetime. Curb and gutter supports the pavement edge against traffic and moisture. Water seeping into the pavement and subbase through cracks in the pavement and from puddles on the unprotected edges can shorten pavement life. Other benefits of curb and gutter include: • Safety. Curbs define the pavement edge for drivers, pedestrians and children, and protect street lights, fire hydrants, signs, and shoulders. • Drainage. Cutters direct water into storm sewers, protecting pavement edge. Often the ditches edging ribbon -paved roads fill with weeds which prevent water movement. It is costly to maintain ditches, and even more costly to let standing water weaken roadways. • titter. Curbs help keep dirt and litter on the roadway where sweepers can collect it. It must be hand •collected on shoulders. Right of way and street width A street with curb and gutter may require less right of way than ribbon paving with ditches. Most communi- ties require 60' to 66' right of ways to allow for the street, utilities, a sidewalk, and an area separating sidewalk from street. Some have reduced this to 50' for streets with curb and gutter. This allows for two 7' parking lanes, and a single 12' travel lane in the center, plus a 12' right of way on each side. The 26' street width is the minimum recommended for a residential street by the American Society of Civil Engineers and by AASHTO. In Wisconsin minimum widths should be a little larger to allow for snow storage. According to Don Theobald, municipal engineering specialist, U'W- ,Madison Depart- ment of Engineering Professional Development, 26' to 28' is adequate for a cul de sac, if the bulb end is large enough to allow fire trucks and garbage trucks to turn around. Low volume residential through streets should be 32' to 34' to allow for parking on both sides. This allows for two 7' parking lanes and two 9' to 10' travelling lanes. Allow 36' to 40' for high volume residential through streets to permit two lanes of parking and two lanes for easy passing. This also accommodates back -up lines at yield or stop signs without impeding oncoming traffic. When is ribbon paving acceptable? One community will consider ribbon paving when the street is a nonextendable dead end under 500' long, or more than 50% of the abutting property is impractical to develop. Streets require curb and gutter if most land use Is business or commercial, there are 12 or more housing units per 600' of street, or there is less than 60' avail- able for the right of way. Allowing streets to be built without curb and gutter can save a few dollars in construction costs, but will cost taxpayers much more for maintenance later. Public officials should not compromise their standards on curb and gutter without good reason, Adapted from, Why Curb and Cutter ?, APWA Management Series Number 3. (Copies are available from the Transporta- tion information Center. Please use the Reader Response form to request yours.) Resources Publications The following publications are available free while Supplies last from the T.I.C. office. Please use the Reader Response form to ask for you copy, or call 800 -362 -3020 (ask for the Transportation Information. Center). PASER Manual — Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating, Transportation Information Center, 1987, 40 pp. A manual that shows examples of asphalt pavement problems. It describes the cause of problems and helps determine proper maintenance and repair. A simple rating system is explained and illustrated with photographs. The rating system can be used to inspect roadways and help Set maintenance priorities. Why Curb and Gutter?, management Series #3. American Public Works Administration, Chicago, IL, 1987, 10 pp. A pamphlet that describes the advantages and costs of curb and gutter installation. Useful in explaining policies to the public. Page 4