City Bicycle Ways

The best cycle ways are constructed much the same as first class broken-stone roads, except that the layers need not be as thick and do not require as much rolling. The surface should be finished with a layer of stone screenings to inch thick, the size ranging from inch to dust.

In localities where lumber is cheap, it is common to construct cycle ways of plank very much as sidewalks are made—see § 976 and § 977.

Grade.

For obvious reasons, the grade of the cycle ways now under consideration must be practically the same as that of the street pavements (see § 471 and § 479).

Cross Section.

Since the cycle way is usually compara tively narrow it is immaterial whether its surface be slightly crown ing or have a small fall toward only one side; but the surface of the way should be a little above the adjoining ground to afford good surface drainage.

Examples.

Fig. 163, page 627, shows five plans that have been used in constructing city cycle ways. Plans A. B, and C are constructed of wood; and D and E are constructed of gravel or broken stone. The curb on the right-hand side of Plan D is supported by being spiked to posts firmly set into the ground.

Fig. 164, page 628, shows the four standard forms of cycle ways employed by the City of Portland, Oregon. The following are the specifications: * "Plan A is built of timber and consists of mud sills, 4 X6 inches, placed at right angles to the path, 4 feet apart center to center. Where the side slope of the street surface is flat, the sills will be laid broad-side down; but where the side slope is steep, they will be set on edge. The sills must be bedded solidly in their places, and must be level and at such an elevation that the surface water from the street can pass under the planks to the gutter. Along the outer edge of the cycle way a slight ditch must be excavated. The covering will consist of five planks, 2 X 12 inches, sized to a thickness, in lengths not less than 16 feet. They must be laid close together and break joints not less than 4 feet. Each plank must be nailed to each mud sill with a spike in each edge of the plank at the intermediate sills and three spikes at each end, the spikes being 6 inches long. The plank surface will

generally be placed one foot from the curb, and on the same grade as it. All the labor of building the cycle way must be done in a good and workman ship manner.

"Plan B is built without timber except where drain boxes are necessary. The center of the shallow ditch on the roadway-side of the cycle way will be 6 feet from the curb. The material from this ditch will be thrown into the embankment; and earth, gravel or crushed rock will be added sufficient to raise the embankment 8 inches above the normal surface of the street.

For a few particulars concerning cycle ways constructed in St. Paul, Minn., see § 980.

Cost.

The cost of a city cycle way will vary greatly with the style of construction, the cost of materials and labor, etc. The following examples are of interest.

St. Paul. In St. Paul, Minn., in 1897, about 12 miles of cycle ways were built, the cost and the method of construction being as follows: * A cycle way 10 feet wide consisting of 4 inches of coal cinders at the center and 2 inches at the side, and covered with a finch layer of sand and loam or clay mixed, having a crown of 4 inches, with broken-stone street crossings, built where the only grading consisted in removing the sod, cost $500 per mile, common labor being 18-3/4 cents per hour, teams 37-1/2 cents per hour, and cin ders 40 cents per cubic yard delivered. An 8-foot path consisting of cinders 3 inches deep at the center and 2 inches at the sides cost $250 per mile, labor being 15 cents per hour, teams 30 cents per hour, and cinders 25 cents per cubic yard delivered. A3-foot cinder path along a graded street cost $165 per mile.

Brooklyn. In Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1895, a 12-foot cycle way from Prospect Park to Coney Island, constructed of broken limestone, cost about $3,250 per mile.

Rochester. At Rochester, N. Y., a 16-foot cycle way hav ing a 4-inch limestone base and a 2-inch trap top, cost practically $10,000 per mile, exclusive of engineering and inspection, labor being $1.50 for 8 hours and teams $3.50 for 8 hours.