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Are decorative crosswalks that are safe, more
visible, and hold up in tough traffic and weather conditions too good to
be true?
In the late 1990s, it became apparent to
Integrated Paving Concepts, the makers of
StreetPrint
Pavement Texturing, that there was a need for better crosswalks,
particularly in high-traffic locations. Traditional paving stone and
patterned concrete crosswalks are expensive and time consuming to
install, problematic to maintain, and frequently result in dangerous
slip and trip hazards.
In 2003, after several years of extensive
development and testing, DuraTherm Traffic Tough Decorative Crosswalks
was introduced and quickly attained an outstanding degree of market
acceptance due to its high traffic durability, fast and easy
installation, enhanced visibility, and aesthetic attractiveness.
DuraTherm is a thermoplastic material that is
inlaid into imprinted asphalt. It is installed flush with the asphalt
surface through a very fast and simple process.
“The key to a quality installation has a lot to
do with IPC’s proprietary heating system” Cleve Stordy, IPC vice
president says. IPC’s StreetHeat Asphalt Reheat Systems incorporate true
infrared reciprocating heaters. The process begins by heating asphalt to
280 degrees F. “Because the heaters reciprocate back and forth on
tracks, the gradual heating can be continually monitored. “In the hands
of one of our trained Accredited Applicators, there is no risk of
overheating or damaging the asphalt itself.”
Once the StreetHeat Reheater has done its job,
templates in the desired pattern and thickness are carefully placed and
pressed into the surface using a reversible plate compactor. The
templates are then easily removed. Matching preformed sections of
DuraTherm material are placed by hand into the resulting impressions.
Once all the DuraTherm is in place the StreetHeat Reheater is again
placed over the surface and the heating process is repeated until the
material is melted and fully bonded to the asphalt within the
impressions.
Avoiding disruption
“One of the reasons DuraTherm has such good
acceptance is its speed of installation,” says Stordy. Depending on the
project, traditional decorative pavers and stamped concrete
installations can take up to several weeks causing traffic disruptions.
DuraTherm crosswalks generally require only 90 minutes per vehicle lane
to complete, so traffic and community disruption is kept to an absolute
minimum. Road construction is a big contributor to the epidemic traffic
congestion. |
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| Salt Lake City used DuraTherm
heritage offset brick pattern on this crosswalk. |
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| Worker sets material into
stamped impression in the asphalt. |
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| StreetHeat SR60 Asphalt
Reheater permanently fuses material into impressions. |
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Maintenance
“Decorative crosswalks made with pavers and stamped
concrete installed within road surfaces cause ongoing maintenance burdens
for many cities,” says Stordy. “Pavers tend to heave and settle and concrete
cracks. Besides being unsightly and difficult to repair, these problems can
create trip hazards for pedestrians. Where snowplows are an issue, the
potential for plow blade trip points exists in paver and concrete surfaces.
Since DuraTherm is installed into the greater road surface, it will not move
independently of the roadway, so it is not prone to heaving and settling and
consequent damage by snowplows. The material can be easily and seamlessly
repaired after the asphalt surface is broken for typical underground service
repairs.
The American’s with Disability Act includes an
increasingly important set of regulations with the objective of eliminating
discrimination on the basis of disability in public areas. Uneven bumpy
surfaces cause discomfort to many wheelchair-confined people. “Since
DuraTherm is installed flush with the greater road surface it is totally
vibration free,” says Stordy.
The material is offered with or without
retro-reflective properties. With either option, but especially with
retro-reflective properties, DuraTherm increases the visibility and
perception of crosswalks. The range of design possibilities allow for
attention-grabbing crosswalks.
Revitalization
Revitalization projects make good use of the
material, too. An excellent example is the City of Bingen, situated on the
Columbia River 70 miles east of Vancouver, Washington. Last Spring, Bingen
completed a substantial Main Street redevelopment that incorporated nearly
15,000 square feet of DuraTherm Traffic Tough Crosswalks.
Many municipalities use DuraTherm. These include the
cities of New York, Los Angeles, Boston, and Toronto. Also numerous state
and county agencies specify the material for their rights-of-way including
the Oregon DOT, the New York State DOT, and the Florida DOT. |
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