JillieBitner394

The city of Bellevue has undertaken a project created to give their streets a small a lot more bounce. Taking cues from cities like Seattle, Olympia and Tacoma, Bellevue city hall launched a pilot project this year that will test the viability of rubber sidewalks in the downtown core.

Starting with a little stretch of sidewalk on NE 10th, just west of 102nd Ave NE, the experimental footpath will support the city evaluate the lengthy phrase fees and durability of rubber sidewalks as opposed to concrete ones. If the project proves effective, city officials program to use the rubber pavers in another 700 sidewalk areas all through the city.

One of the primary positive aspects of the rubber sidewalks is their potential to bend. Even though absolutely everyone loves a shady, tree lined street - when those gnarly old roots start off tearing up the pavement, children trip, wheelchairs get stuck, individuals sue. When this happens, it is a bit of a showdown: sidewalk vs. tree. Last year, 12 trees lost the battle and had to be cut down. Even when the tree can be spared, if the roots are reduce to conserve the sidewalk the tree can nevertheless die. Either way, all the time and funds spent on upkeep is pricey.

The alternative is to pave the sidewalks with one thing that can co-exist with the trees, one thing like rubber that won't crack under pressure. For pedestrians, the rubber is a slightly softer surface to walk on that can place a bit of a spring in the step. Greater traction and enhanced accessibility for men and women in wheelchairs are other ground-level benefits. But perhaps the most attractive benefit for Bellevue employees and citizens is the truth that the recycled tiles are great for the environment, preserving the trees and turning what would have grow to be landfill into one thing everyone can be content about. The rubber sidewalk tiles are produced out of recycled tires with about 5 tires compressed into each and every two inch thick paver.

The rubber sidewalk initiative is just one particular of numerous environmentally friendly projects undertaken by the local government in the previous year. In an work to reduce their municipal carbon footprint, Bellevue has also adopted land use patterns that decrease sprawl, sought ways to preserve the city's tree canopy, turned a single of their beloved golf courses into a wildlife sanctuary recognized by the Audubon Society and began acquiring hybrid automobiles for the city fleet. city garage brakes