What’s the most important aspect of an asphalt paving project? The answers will vary, but most people won’t put curb installation at the top of the list. However, curbs are key features in both commercial and residential communities – and as annoying as it might be to hit one with your back tire, you wouldn’t want to live in a world without sturdy curbs. Here are the top four reasons to include curb installation in your next subdivision paving project.
1. Keep Foot Traffic and Vehicle Traffic Separate
People have different means for getting from point A to point B. In a bustling community, you’ll see plenty of walking, skating, biking, and driving around the same areas. Not only should there be enough space for all of these means of transportation to co-exist – there should also be clear markers and barriers that keep everyone safe, no matter how they’re traveling. Curbs are crucial components in these efforts (especially when combined with sidewalk installation), creating a raised barrier that helps pedestrians, bikers, and drivers stay in their respective lanes.
2. Protect Landscapes
Lawns, gardens, and other green spaces have a lot to offer the properties they surround. Regardless of how strict or loose your subdivision’s rules regarding landscaping are, no one wants to see tire marks on their lawn or their neighbor’s lawn. These occurrences aren’t common even when no curbs are present, but curbs create an additional safeguard, blocking cars and other vehicles from driving directly onto landscapes. In this way, commercial paving contractors can do your subdivision’s landscaping maintenance services a big favor.
3. Enhance the Community’s Curb Appeal
Curb appeal refers to the way a property looks when viewed from afar, particularly from the curb. The way a community’s curbs look doesn’t actually have anything to do with this term. That said, the presence of well-kempt curbs does enhance a subdivision’s overall appearance. Indeed, when curbs were first popularized in the 18th century, they were installed primarily for aesthetic purposes. It wasn’t until severald decades later that civil engineers realized the practical benefits curbs had to offer as well. Today, commercial asphalt paving contractors install and maintain curbs mostly for functional reasons, but from a visual standpoint, curbs undeniably add definition to a community. This type of “curb appeal” shouldn’t be overlooked.
4. Promote Proper Drainage
Curbs aren’t just obstructions – they can also act as conduits. More specifically, properly constructed curbs and gutters help direct water from rain and snow into nearby drains. As a result, subdivisions and other communities face less of a risk of flooding, moisture intrusion, and water damage more broadly. Without these systems in place, water would linger on roadways, driveways, and sidewalks, eroding the soil, creating puddles, and more. Debris is also diverted away from homes and businesses during heavy rainfall thanks to curbs.
The Appeal of Curbs
Aside from those moments where we forget to step down or scratch our tires against them, it’s easy to take curbs for granted. And yet, curbs are in many ways the unsung heroes of any asphalt paving project. At Cassidy Paving, we take curb and berm installation seriously, incorporating them into our New England projects whenever necessary. Call us today at 866-978-9788 for a free estimate on your next asphalt project.