Sidewalk Details

Sidewalk width, material, and details are important streetscape elements.  Wide sidewalks encourage activity and gathering – street vendors, outdoor cafes, and casual conversation.  Narrow walks, in contrast, encourage movement through a space without pause.  Walks too narrow for the volume of pedestrian traffic function poorly and become unsightly as adjacent worn paths develop.

State Street is envisioned to have rather wide sidewalks created by a setback of approximately 25’ from the curb line.  This wide sidewalk allows zones for walking, outdoor dining, awnings, trees, benches and signs.  Trees should be set about six feet from the curb line and within paver grates or accessible tree grates to allow for unimpeded pedestrian circulation.

Sidewalk materials help establish the sense of place. Asphalt walks should be avoided.  Concrete – uncolored but well detailed and broom-finished, is more affordable than specialty pavements.  It is appropriate for the Meriden Green and sidewalks along the secondary roads.

To strengthen the sense of place and establish regional identity, pedestrian pavements of real brick, with minor accents of gray granite typically found in New England, are the most appropriate.  As buildings of brick masonry are envisioned, care should be taken to select compatible building and paver colors.  Brick sidewalks are critical design elements along both sides of the relocated State Street.

Pavements such as concrete pavers, colored and/or patterned concrete, and colored and stamped asphalt should be avoided.  These materials are poor substitutes for the materials they imitate and would detract from the sense of place envisioned.