Cherry Street makeover

[DTowner]

I'm not talking about cheap **** bricks.  I am talking about real cobblestones like East Coast cities used for hundreds of years.

There are good reasons cities moved away from cobblestone to concrete and asphalt.  There are cheaper and better ways to slow down traffic without using 18th century paving technology.

[Townsend]

There are good reasons cities moved away from cobblestone to concrete and asphalt.  There are cheaper and better ways to slow down traffic without using 18th century paving technology.

It'd make the carriages sound much cooler.

[carltonplace]

There are good reasons cities moved away from cobblestone to concrete and asphalt.  There are cheaper and better ways to slow down traffic without using 18th century paving technology.

Brick and Stone streets last forever. Check out Cheyenne Ave Between First and Archer, these are the same bricks that were laid more than 100 years ago. Lots of streets in the downtown area still have brick beds that have been covered with asphalt over time (Carson Ave between 14th and 15th for example).

[AquaMan]

Brick and Stone streets last forever. Check out Cheyenne Ave Between First and Archer, these are the same bricks that were laid more than 100 years ago. Lots of streets in the downtown area still have brick beds that have been covered with asphalt over time (Carson Ave between 14th and 15th for example).

Romans did well with them as well. About 1650 yrs so far.

[rdj]

11th & Utica still has brick in places under the asphalt.  It peaks through at times.

[DTowner]

Brick and Stone streets last forever. Check out Cheyenne Ave Between First and Archer, these are the same bricks that were laid more than 100 years ago. Lots of streets in the downtown area still have brick beds that have been covered with asphalt over time (Carson Ave between 14th and 15th for example).

The brick on 5th street between Boulder and Denver did not fare quite as well and portions have been replaced over the years.  Perhaps if we were still allowed to periodically raid neighboring states to bring back cheap, skilled and reliable indentured servants we could build and maintain brick and cobblestone roads cost effectively. 

[patric]

Pedestrians are not using the cross-walks. They are running across in the middle of the block. I expect people to cross from Mi Cocina to White Owl and slow way down there. Makes sense to put the cross-walk where people are crossing (and not where you expect them to cross). Flashing 25MPH signs would also help.

The presence of bright(er) light increases one's perception of safety, emboldening pedestrians to take risks in the belief that they will be seen in plenty of time for a car to give them right of way.  Many people have lost their lives because of this assumption.

[carltonplace]

The presence of bright(er) light increases one's perception of safety, emboldening pedestrians to take risks in the belief that they will be seen in plenty of time for a car to give them right of way.  Many people have lost their lives because of this assumption.

Cherry Street only has a couple of cobra street lights. It has no Pedestrian lighting to speak of, but lots of commerical signage.

[zstyles]

To keep this way off topic, if you want to see a city with a TON of brick streets visit Hominy Oklahoma, they have brick streets than I have ever seen, and a pretty cool art gallery, soda shop and indians on the mountains...

http://www.hominydiner.com/gpage.html1.html

[AquaMan]

The presence of bright(er) light increases one's perception of safety, emboldening pedestrians to take risks in the belief that they will be seen in plenty of time for a car to give them right of way.  Many people have lost their lives because of this assumption.

That's an interesting observation. People assume the driver sees them because of the bright lights. Eye contact is very important in car/pedestrian interaction. If I cannot make eye contact with the pedestrian I suspect they don't see me or are in an altered mental state.  If they would cross at intersections it would be helpful but its those folks who come from in between parked cars in the middle of the block who are at most risk.

This morning I saw silhouettes in the dark fog crossing on North Peoria in between 36th and 46th, a long, smooth open area where its easy to get up speed. Could have been dogs, or other free range animals. Turns out to have been mom, dad and two kids heading to the bus stop. Dumb move but I see it a lot around town.

[TheArtist]

I often cite that strip of Cherry Street as being an example of what good lighting levels should be like.  Would be a shame to glare it all up with harsh lighting.  Especially if I read the story right on Channel 6 News, and the accident happened during the day.  Perhaps, there again, it couldn't possibly be the pedestrian or drivers faults, it's that city should know that the sun itself isn't bright enough to be safe and we should install more lighting?

[RecycleMichael]

The brick on 5th street between Boulder and Denver did not fare quite as well and portions have been replaced over the years.  Perhaps if we were still allowed to periodically raid neighboring states to bring back cheap, skilled and reliable indentured servants we could build and maintain brick and cobblestone roads cost effectively. 

Those were substandard bricks. It is difficult to make paving quality bricks any more. There are rules on the furnaces and most bricks made now are architectural grade.

[carltonplace]

Anyone notice we now have a street light on every utility pole on Cherry Street between Peoria and Utica?

[hello]

I wish they would make the road lane lines clearer. Many times have I almost been run into by people in the right lane by McDonalds not paying attention to the "right turn only" signs and going straight through the light.

[carltonplace]

They are on the second set of striping in less than a year...it doesn't seem to last long on this street.