Posted September 23, 20204 yr can we have a thread for anything streets and roads related? lets hear about old or interesting brick streets, wood streets, highways, etc. around ohio or anywhere. i'll start --- i hope folks will add to the thread!: The Historic Districts Council (HDC) completed a study on New York City’s Belgian block heritage, in the context of providing policies towards a more accessible historic streetscapes. The organization also attests that “what’s under foot matters,” and that “amid the ongoing work of protecting and celebrating civic heritage, paving materials, so often neglected, deserve their due as irreplaceable historic assets.” 10 Fun Facts about NYC’s Belgian Block (Not Cobblestone) Streets by Michelle Young https://untappedcities.com/2017/09/01/10-fun-facts-about-nyc-belgian-block-not-cobblestone-streets/ highlights: -- cobblestones 'untooled, naturally rounded stones' were used up to 1860 -- belgian blocks 'tooled granite in rectangular shapes' was used afterward until the 1930s -- belgian blocks were sized relative to a horseshoe -- in 1949 nyc has 140 miles of brick streets; today only 15 miles -- asphalt became more popular from 1890 -- By 1899, observers were deploring Belgian block’s ‘abominably rough surface and its propensity to get out of level.’ They were difficult to maintain, became slick when wet, and were rued as the noisiest pavement type. -- in nyc some block streets are ada compliant (meatpacking) and some not (dumbo) -- some block was replaced by modern 'eurocobble' to be more ada compliant (wall st in 2008-10) longacre square -- broadway & 42nd st in 1898-1900
September 23, 20204 yr Author broadway streetscaping in lorain continues. interesting pics of lots of remediation of old vaults and coal chutes and streetwork over the last year: https://www.cityoflorain.org/540/Broadway-Streetscape-Project
September 23, 20204 yr Philadelphia's Elfreth's Alley is quite interesting: https://thisdarlingworld.com/oldest-street-usa-elfreths-alley/ Edited September 30, 20204 yr by skiwest
September 23, 20204 yr I suppose Hessler Court would have to be mentioned here. The only remaining wood block paved road in Cleveland. https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/47778
September 23, 20204 yr Author wood block was more popular than i had thought! look at this -- lots of wood block streets in lower manhattan as of 1910 the only woody streets left in ny now is a small patch of west street in greenpoint, broolyn. more: https://greenpointers.com/2014/06/04/forgotten-greenpoint-wooden-sidewalk-on-west-street-may-become-extinct/
September 23, 20204 yr Author the appian way linking rome to modern brindisi 350mi away is the most famous oldest street in the world -- from 312bc: The Appian Way was once the world’s most important road. It was the widest and largest road of its time and the most famous of all the roads that radiated from Rome towards the far ends of the Roman Empire. It was called the “Regina Viarum”, or “queen of roads” and was the reason for the famous saying “all roads lead to Rome”. The road today is remarkably well preserved, flanked on both sides by fields punctuated with monumental ruins and other vestiges of Roman and Christian history. Below the road there are miles of tunnels – known as Catacombs, where the early Christians and Jews buried their dead. more: https://romeonsegway.com/appian-way-the-queen-of-roads/
September 24, 20204 yr Author look like the turnpike is 65 yrs old this week. https://www.ohioturnpike.org/about-us/history https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2015/09/ohio_turnpike_opened_60_years_ago_to_swarms_of_onlookers_at_midnight_ceremony.html
September 30, 20204 yr Author i found this about wood streets -- aka nicholson pavement -- and edited it up a bit: Nicolson pavement, alternatively spelled "Nicholson" and denominated wooden block pavement and wood block pavement, is a road surface material consisting of wooden blocks. Samuel Nicolson invented it in the mid-19th century in Boston (or perhaps reinvented it, historically speaking). Wooden block pavement has since become unfavored because of its poor surface quality and high cost of maintenance. Wood block pavement may have originated in Russia in the 14th century, but it gained prominence in the 1820s and 1830s as a road building alternative to the irregularly surfaced cobblestone streets common during that era. Wood block was also favored because stone was scarce and wood was abundant. Additionally, horse traffic reportedly made less noise on wood-surfaced streets. However, the drawbacks of Nicolson pavement include slippery surfaces when wet or icy and the tendency of the blocks to rot, decay, and heave due to moisture seeping between the blocks. When treated with creosote, wood block pavement would last longer, but the creosoted pavement had a noticeable unpleasant smell. Remnants of Nicolson pavement still exist in several cities across the US: Touted as the only remaining wooden street in the US, Roslyn Place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is completely paved in wooden blocks. Patches of creosoted wooden block pavement are still visible in an alley along 10th street between Olive and Locust Streets in St. Louis, Missouri. At least three alleys in Chicago, Illinois, still retain the use of wood block pavement, though some are in states of disrepair. The 200 block of Camac Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is also paved with wooden blocks, and it is regularly maintained, having been listed in the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. Hessler Court in Cleveland, Ohio, known for its Hessler Street Fair, likewise maintains its Nicolson Pavement for historic reasons. more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolson_pavement laying nicolson pavement
September 30, 20204 yr 36 minutes ago, mrnyc said: The 200 block of Camac Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is also paved with wooden blocks, and it is regularly maintained, having been listed in the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. Unfortunately, Camac's wooden blocks were paved over in 2015. But there are plans to uncover and restore them next year. If anyone makes a trip to Philly I highly recommend walking Camac Street from Walnut to Lombard. This quarter mile stretch is like taking a walk back in time. It is one of my favorite places in Center City. The other small streets in this part of town are awesome too. When I first moved to Philly I delighted in discovering new ones. They are like a hidden world.
October 1, 20204 yr Author get your kicks via a nice, long video of a trip across the mother road, route 66.
October 1, 20204 yr Author if you are driving out east, be sure to take the opportunity to drive the beautiful merritt parkway, connecticut's national historic highway, if you can. it's really a pleasure and a throwback to early auto history. i cannot rec it highly enough! all about the merritt via the conservancy: https://www.merrittparkway.org/about-the-parkway interactive site: http://www.themerrittparkway.com and here is a darien library talk about it:
October 1, 20204 yr 1 hour ago, mrnyc said: get your kicks via a nice, long video of a trip across the mother road, route 66. More of a Lincoln Highway guy, myself.
October 1, 20204 yr Author 4 minutes ago, X said: More of a Lincoln Highway guy, myself. so then post something about it yourself!
October 2, 20204 yr I've been on the Merritt Parkway several times and it really needs...a makeover. A historic parkway shouldn't look...crumbly. See Balti-Wash Pkwy on how to maintain a beautiful parkway. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
October 19, 20204 yr Author the merritt is older, much more intimate, has many old style street crossover street bridges and is all in all more the ideal of an old school parkway. afaik it was always supposed to look fake rural and crumbly. rustic is another way to put it. the bw pkwy has some cool old styled bridge stretches, but also modern ones. its from the 1950s and is a more typical greenway/highway experience. and its no wonder since its purpose was connecting big city to big city, whereas the merritt just as puposefully doesnt connect to anything.
October 19, 20204 yr Author now this is some highway. i never got to drive on it, a mistake! The H-3 Highway in Hawaii KAUSHIK PATOWARY FEB 9, 2014 5 COMMENTS The H-3 Highway also known as John A. Burns Freeway on the island of O'ahu, is considered one of the most beautiful and most controversial freeway in Hawaii. Completed in 1997, the 16-mile H-3 connects Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Pu‘uloa, on O‘ahu’s southern coast, to the Marine Corps Base Hawaii on Mokapu Peninsula, on O‘ahu’s eastern coast. Interstate H-3 begins at the Hālawa Interchange with Interstates H-1 and H-201. The freeway then runs along a viaduct through Hālawa Valley for about 6 miles, tunnels through the Ko'olau Mountains, takes another viaduct built along the side of Haiku Valley until it reaches the town of Kaneohe. The freeway then continues to the Halekou Interchange finally terminating at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii. ... H-3 is one of the most expensive Interstate Highways ever built, on a cost per mile basis. Its final cost was $1.3 billion, or approximately $80 million per mile. ... more: https://www.amusingplanet.com/2014/02/the-h-3-highway-in-hawaii.html
December 7, 20204 yr Author this beautiful and interesting roundabout is set to open in a new tunnel under a fjord near the faroe islands. TECH Underwater roundabout set to open beneath Atlantic Ocean By James Rogers, Fox News December 7, 2020 | 10:47am An incredible underwater roundabout is set to open in the remote Faroe Islands. The Eysturoyar tunnel network is almost 7 miles long and runs beneath Skálafjørður fjord, connecting the islands of Streymoy and Eysturoy, the BBC reports. The tunnel network and its undersea roundabout will significantly cut journey times to the Faroe Islands’ capital Torshavn from many locations, according to contractor NCC. more: https://nypost.com/2020/12/07/underwater-roundabout-set-to-open-beneath-atlantic-ocean/ The roundabout is part of the Eysturoyar tunnel network, which is almost 7 miles long and runs beneath the Skálafjørður fjord.
December 16, 20204 yr Author it's said the pacific coast highway is america's riviera -- and can confirm it truly is, except even far better than that. apparantly you can do it end to end in five days, but my experiences are that it is much better to do it in multiple trips and small stretches, stop for awhile and take your time. it is recommended that driving north to south on the pch is best -- and that around sept is the best time. more: https://www.valisemag.com/pacific-coast-highway-guide/ https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/road-trips/pacific-coast-highway-itinerary
February 1, 20214 yr Author the heyday of the hippie highway or hippie trail 1957-1978: The 1970s Hippie Trail: drugs, danger, and a magical pudding shop in Asia You may not reach enlightenment, but you’ll see some crazy stuff trying Meagan Day Oct 20, 2016 · the 1960s and 70s, dedicated American hippies rode buses with Ken Kesey and Timothy Leary, traversing the nation on a perpetual acid trip. But this was lightweight stuff compared to the journeys taken along the Hippie Trail, an alternative Silk Road that wound through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Nepal. There’s still a street in Kathmandu dedicated to these countercultural pilgrims, who traveled the world in pursuit of good hash and spiritual enlightenment: the Nepalis call it Old Freak Street. more: https://timeline.com/hippie-trail-asia-drugs-55abce249d1 A traveler bus overheated near Jerash, Jordan, in 1966. (Eastmed Wanderer)
June 5, 20214 yr Author the story of the rise and eventual removal of harbor drive, portland's former waterfront freeway: In the 1970s, Portland made the radical decision to rip up its oldest freeway and replace it with a city park. This documentary explores the forgotten story of Harbor Drive — how it was once Oregon's most prestigious roadway, and how a variety of circumstances eventually led to its removal. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 1:49 - The Front Avenue Project 4:45 - The War Years 8:44 - Completing the Vision 12:21 - A True Freeway 17:34 - The Writing on the Wall 21:29 - A Last Chance 27:15 - Redevelopment 32:09 - Closure 35:19 - Reflection 39:41 - Credits
June 5, 20214 yr On 12/16/2020 at 12:48 AM, mrnyc said: it's said the pacific coast highway is america's riviera -- and can confirm it truly is, except even far better than that. apparantly you can do it end to end in five days, but my experiences are that it is much better to do it in multiple trips and small stretches, stop for awhile and take your time. it is recommended that driving north to south on the pch is best -- and that around sept is the best time. more: https://www.valisemag.com/pacific-coast-highway-guide/ https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/road-trips/pacific-coast-highway-itinerary I think this about where Kavinsky crashed the Ghost Car.
September 27, 20213 yr Author this would be something to drive -- the karakoram highway between pakistan and china, one of the highest highways in the world: How long is the Karakoram Highway? The two-way road (known as Karakorum Highway and China-Pakistan Friendship Highway) is 1.300km (810 mi) long running through disputed Kashmir from Hassan Abdal (a small town near Rawalpindi and Islamabad) to Kashgar, in Xinjiang province, Western China. Pakistan: 887 km (551 mi) and China: 413 km (257 mi). Is the Karakoram Highway open? The road is open all year except for the Khunjerab Pass, a mountain pass at an elevation of 4.693m (15,397ft) above the sea level, open only between 1 May and 31 December due to heavy snow. Heavy snow during harsh winters can shut the highway down for extended periods. Heavy monsoon rains around July and August cause occasional landslides that can block the road for hours or more. Drive with care as this is a mountain road with hairpin curves and dangerous drop offs. When was the Karakoram Highway built? The road is one of the scariest and hair raising jeep trips in the world. Construction of the road started in 1959 and opened to the public in 1986 after 27 years of corded drilling and construction. 810 Pakistani and 82 Chinese workers lost their lives, mostly in landslides and falls, while building the highway. more: https://www.dangerousroads.org/asia/pakistan/3334-karakoram-highway-pakistan-2.html
December 7, 20213 yr Author a quick list of some of the world's most beautiful streets: https://www.loveexploring.com/gallerylist/89211/30-of-the-worlds-most-beautiful-and-historic-streets Acorn Street, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
December 7, 20213 yr Author and on a related note -- a list of some of the coolest streets in the world as of 2021: https://www.timeout.com/things-to-do/coolest-streets-in-the-world
December 25, 20213 yr Author a fun animation of the 1971-2 hippie trail trip by the guy who invented the lonely planet guides: https://www.cnn.com/interactive/travel/hippie-trail-history-lonely-planet/
December 26, 20213 yr Author this is pretty cool — drives thru the streets of famous cities: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/drive-and-listen-road-trip-lunch-break/index.html
May 23, 20241 yr Author oldest street in america — at least mapped/by europeans: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6w0be2umDi/?igsh=MXJtODJhZDBndmY2NQ==
May 23, 20241 yr 1 hour ago, mrnyc said: oldest street in america — at least mapped/by europeans: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6w0be2umDi/?igsh=MXJtODJhZDBndmY2NQ== If I'm not mistaken, it was Europeans who introduced the use of the wheel for transportation purposes to the Americas. So this probably is indeed the oldest street in America. Paths, of course, existed since prehistoric times.
May 23, 20241 yr Author 3 hours ago, E Rocc said: If I'm not mistaken, it was Europeans who introduced the use of the wheel for transportation purposes to the Americas. So this probably is indeed the oldest street in America. Paths, of course, existed since prehistoric times. no, it was later discovered there were native cities in america like cahokia w/20k people or so and chaco canyon who presumably had plazas and streets or some kind of ordered road/path alignments. cahokia render chaco canyon ruins
Create an account or sign in to comment