As the temperatures begin to warm up across New England, people all across the area will be looking for ways to have fun outside. Especially after the last year of socially distancing, public parks are bound to see more visitors looking for safe and unique walking trails. If you are a municipality or other government agency in charge of parks and recreation, dedicating some time and money to getting your public park trails ready for summertime is a critical task.
How to Prepare Park Trail Asphalt
Designing for Trails
Walking trail design is different from your typical roadway or asphalt parking lot. You should look for an asphalt paving contractor in your area that has experience designing and creating asphalt used for pedestrian and bike access. This will be different than other asphalt services. America Trails resources say that contractors should carefully choose the material used based on the “anticipated type and intensity of trail use.” Before drafting the plan, other things to consider are terrain, climate, design life, maintenance, cost, and availability of materials.
Proper Paving Techniques
Trail paving techniques are unique and require experience to do well. After the design is finalized with the customer, there are other things to consider before picking the paving method to be used. Asphalt and paving are excellent options for cycling, rollerblading, joggers, and walkers because it is flexible and quiet. If the pavement will be placed on the soil and not expected to bear the weight of vehicles, it should not need the same thickness desired of a roadway. Pavement for park trails can even be placed on a subbase that wouldn’t otherwise be used for other needs. Asphalt trails should be at least 6 inches thick and thicker, depending on the quality of the subbase. Even if there is limited space for this trail, it can be done with the correct technique.
If you have an existing trail that needs to be upgraded, often the best option is to do a complete repavement rather than patchwork since these are typically smaller areas. Once your newly laid pavement is expertly installed, the asphalt maintenance plan should not be very extensive or expensive to maintain going forward. In order to give the public safe trails for walking and biking, maintenance should be done proactively rather than repairs when there are issues. There is also additional liability to have ADA-compliant spaces for people visiting public parks.
Choosing the Best Contractor
Only contractors that understand load-bearing and expansion and contraction of asphalt will be ideal for public park trail construction. If you are a municipality looking for help with your park trails, it is best to interview several local companies on their walking trail asphalt pavement services. Ask them questions about cost, maintenance, and safety before hiring them. If you are in the New England area and need help getting your public park ready for summer, the Cassidy Paving team is here to help. We are experts in providing safe and durable trails for parks and other pedestrian-friendly areas. Give us a call today at 866-978-9788 to get more information on how we can help you achieve well-designed trails for your public park.