The City of Corona recently completed the installation of a Rubberway Sidewalk test site. The 15-foot long section of sidewalk was installed in a residential area where large trees were heaving and cracking the cement sidewalk with their roots, creating a danger for pedestrians and a liability for the city.
Rubberway Sidewalks are previous and thus allow water to penetrate through to the subsurface rather than run-off. This provides needed nourishment to trees below the ground and encourages deep rooting, thereby reducing the risks associated with cracked sidewalks. The flexibility of Rubberway Sidewalks also allows for some leeway- if tree roots grow near the surface, the system flexes rather than cracks.
Local resident, Mary, was instrumental in getting this Rubberway test site installed. Mary had approached a city council member with her concern over the many cracked sidewalks in her neighborhood. Beautiful, large, old trees were being removed as a solution to the cracked sidewalks- something Mary was very unhappy about. She knew there had to be another solution. Together, Mary and the city council members explored their options and decided to give rubber sidewalks a try.
Concrete sidewalk repair takes an enormous amount of time and money. The City of Corona has full-time staff dedicated to the assessment and repair of cracked sidewalks. Rubberway Sidewalks are an alternative that provides a safe, resilient, slip-resistant surface that is made from recycled materials and has low maintenance requirements. We hope that the City of Corona finds their Rubberway Sidewalk to exceed their expectations and provides a realistic solution to the cracked sidewalks in the community.