Urban setting--road and sidewalk size?

[Anonymous]

I'm working on urban setting track plan. What is the typical width for two lane roads? What is minimal? Similarly, what is typical for sidewalks, what is minimal?

Thanks
Mark

[DSchmitt]

Rural: Modern "Standard" traffic lane width is 12 feet per lane. There should be some kind of paved shouler also. 2' is considered minimal shoulder (8' preferred) making the actual pavement width 28' to 40' for a two lane road. Of course real roads may be narrower or wider. I was told once (by a Traffic Engineer) that a road less than 18' wide pavement (two 9' lanes) should not have a centerline stripe because that width its too narrow to be considered two lanes. In addition to the pavement there should be a gravel shoulde (2' "standard minimum). On real roads 0' to whatever.

Urban: 12' lanes, 8' shoulders (parking lanes) 1' curb and gutter, 6' sidewalks downtown, 3' sidewalks in residential areas. In many old townsthe residential areas have a planting strip between the curb and the sidewalk. The planting strip is paved with concrete in the business area. Actual widths may be different. Some cities have 10' or wider sidewalks downtown.

One old town I used to live in had a two lane (36' - 40' wide pavement) main business street with 8' (including curb and gutter) concrete sidewalks. In the old residential area the streets were (I'm guessing) 18' pavement , 8' gravel shoulders , 1' curb and gutter, 3' planting area for trees and grass and 3' concrete sidewalks.

The best thing to do is look at the area you are modeling. It is usually better to model street and roads a little narrow so that they don't overwelm the scene. Say 9' lanes, 6' shoulders or parking lanes, 3-4' sidewalks. Most of the building we uses are small prototypes and/or compressed. Scale streets and roads look too big. Also there are many real locations with narrow streets and roads. Take a couple vehicles in your scale and see what looks right to you.

[Anonymous]

Mark the above post is right on the mark. I would only stress a point or two.

Width and sidewalks/curbing depend on the era and the local. Really a very individual and regional thing. Same goes for thickness of both cement and tarmac. Don't be shy about mixing cement with macadam patches or the reverse. Don't try to be too neat and uniform, urban environments are messy environments.

If you use your own "Mark 1 eyeball" you won't go far wrong. If it looks right it IS right.

Randy

[Jetrock]

Selective compression definitely applies to roads. Roads are pretty prominent on my layout, since it's mostly in-street track. My double-track section of mainline is on a 5" wide stretch of road, but the parallel roads that intersect it are about 3.5" wide, not counting a 1/2" sidewalk on either side.

Especially if you're running in-street track in an urban area, ensure that your streets are wide enough for access by your 0-5-0 switcher (hand.)