Transportation in New Communities

Getting around smaller, developed communities may take several forms. Some towns and developments have opted to add golf cart lanes to connect homes with small businesses. Residents can generally travel anywhere in the area without ever driving on a public access road. This is convenient for the residents, but only if they restrict themselves to local shopping or work. Those that travel outside the area or deliver goods must have public access roads.

Keeping to the standard of landscaping within a developed community takes planning in regards to vehicle and foot traffic. Paths and walkways must be easily accessible to all residents. Deliveries for the businesses within the community must be planned as well. Delivery trucks come in all sizes, and the roads they drive must accommodate every size vehicle. Many developers have found flexible paving to be their best option. It allows them to build a heavy duty road that can be easily landscaped and maintained. While not necessary for lighter traffic, it is still a viable option throughout the entire community.

Foot traffic is an important part of neighbourhood life. Couples often like to take a stroll together after dinner, and some have pets that need to be walked daily. Parents want their children to have safe sidewalks when going to play at a friend's home. Keeping the sidewalks safe and usable is important in any community, and there are several paving options to accommodate this need.

One paving option is to create sidewalks out of concrete. This is a porous paving material because it allows rainwater to seep into the concrete before dispersing underground. Permeable paving options including the use of recycled glass media do not allow water to seep through the materials. Instead, there are gaps where water drains into the ground naturally.  Brushing in some silica sand helps to fill the gaps.  Either of these options stops water from pooling on walks and creating an unsafe environment for pedestrians.