tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post3850979971811956958..comments2024-03-27T12:53:39.298+01:00Comments on A view from the cycle path: Avoiding potholesDavid Hembrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-10639237388009936192012-11-07T15:02:42.462+01:002012-11-07T15:02:42.462+01:00I have no doubt that weather and other environment...I have no doubt that weather and other environmental considerations will cause damage anywhere, and I have no trouble believing that the Dutch are more efficient at effecting repairs than we are in the UK.<br /><br />But it still beggars belief to me that anyone would consider it reasonable for cyclists to share the same surface that has one bus along it every thirty seconds (in each direction - Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12957616409432299713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-52434801076958049982012-11-07T14:18:10.544+01:002012-11-07T14:18:10.544+01:00Alexa, Tim, it's quite true that cycle-paths d...Alexa, Tim, it's quite true that cycle-paths develop pot-holes slower than roads, but they still deteriorate due to tree roots and freezing conditions and that still also requires work. This work <a href="http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2012/06/cycle-paths-of-drenthe-98-good-2-being.html" rel="nofollow">gets done, of course</a>.<br /><br />This, however, is a pothole on a residential David Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-63979709968490128702012-11-07T13:56:21.009+01:002012-11-07T13:56:21.009+01:00I see Alexa has already made the point that occurr...I see Alexa has already made the point that occurred to me.<br /><br />I regularly cycle on Manchester's "Oxford Road Corridor". A couple of relatively flat miles between the two largest Universities in the UK, and the halls of residence which service them.<br /><br />Unfortunately the road is also frequently described as "the busiest bus route in Europe". I'm not Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12957616409432299713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-18328199156711025952012-11-05T12:42:58.027+01:002012-11-05T12:42:58.027+01:00@highwayman: The "external" mayor was cr...@highwayman: The "external" mayor was created in the 1848 constitution, the Thorbecke system. Thorbecke gave local government much autonomy but installed a chairman appointed by a higher authority. Originally a mayor applied for a post directly to the minister of the Interior and towns had to accept what they got. Nowadays a mayor sends an application to the (locally elected) town Frits Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11399632570565541892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-79251050330733103012012-11-04T22:05:31.986+01:002012-11-04T22:05:31.986+01:00Part of the reason there are fewer potholes to beg...Part of the reason there are fewer potholes to begin with is that the cycle paths are not generally traveled by cars. With an on-road bike lane, you get all the car damage and little of the benefit. The heavier the vehicle, the worse the damage inflicted. It's just good practice to keep the vehicles separated. I love that the Netherlands does this right down to trash collection. Having to Alexahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09121866982550410238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-21123500129712658712012-11-04T20:07:58.974+01:002012-11-04T20:07:58.974+01:00I usually am very passionate in protecting local a...I usually am very passionate in protecting local autonomy, but the problem with this is that politicians at town level, in order to keep local taxes low, will cut the easiest target in their budget: roads & sewers. <br /><br />Maybe it's just me, but the check on the locally elected municipal council in the Netherlands is a Mayor appointed by the Minister of the Interior. A side benefithighwaymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13619122855480674269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-44018974175045281392012-11-02T15:18:26.946+01:002012-11-02T15:18:26.946+01:00Two years ago the off road cycle path across Claph...Two years ago the off road cycle path across Clapham Common in South London was resurfaced. It was done so badly that it's actually concave in places - there were numerous puddles much larger than that along it's length and immediately after rain it has a complete covering. <br /><br />I complained as was told nothing could be done as it was 'within tolerence'. Of course in Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-91688669108681910752012-11-02T11:21:36.811+01:002012-11-02T11:21:36.811+01:00How does this fit with the "resurfacing whole...How does this fit with the "resurfacing whole roads occasionally is cheaper than patching-up potholes regularly" idea?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-5601168315891392272012-11-02T00:51:32.492+01:002012-11-02T00:51:32.492+01:00Streets in most areas of the U.S. have been deteri...Streets in most areas of the U.S. have been deteriorating for decades from inadequate funding.<br /><br />New York City: <br /><br />6,400 miles of streets<br />418,000 potholes filled in 2011<br /><br />Los Angeles:<br /><br />6,500 miles of streets<br />300,000 potholes filled in 2011<br /><br />Chicago:<br /><br />4,000 miles of streets<br />350,000 potholes filled in 2012<br /><br />LA gradesDennis Hindmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11217027108525416160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-79783839462333561272012-11-01T21:17:36.836+01:002012-11-01T21:17:36.836+01:00Living in the middle of The Netherlands my experie...Living in the middle of The Netherlands my experience is that road damages are repaired in 2-3 working days. My local municipality has a website where you can report an issue including a possibility to upload a picture. The fact that they are very responsive also probably has a lot to do with the legal situation. The governmental body responsible for road maintenance (wegbeheerder) is in Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-54401433370747633722012-11-01T17:07:33.925+01:002012-11-01T17:07:33.925+01:00It also looks as if the edge of the repair has bee...It also looks as if the edge of the repair has been sealed with tar, something that (in my experience) rarely happens with UK road repairs of this kind. Typically this means that within a couple of years the repair has become the site of several new potholes, because the unsealed join is an ideal place for water to collect and accelerate the rate of wear. Very short-sighted.<br /><br />MarkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com