[sustran] Africa/pavements for non-motorised transport tracks

[Gerry Hawkes]

We are developing a structural panel made with highly durable recycled plastic for use in constructing bicycle and pedestrian paths.  The surface has drainage and an aggressive but smooth riding traction pattern molded in.  The panels can be secured with tamper resistant fasteners and earth anchors.  They also may be cantilevered of the sides of highway bridges or trestled over difficult terrain.

Presently we are manufacturing this surface in tile form to protect and enhance the surfaces of boardwalks, steps, wheelchair access ramps, docks, gangways, etc.  We have a three year, $375,000 grant from the National Institute on Disability Research and Rehabilitation to demonstrate this surface on wheelchair access ramps around the country.  Our primary objective remains the introduction of high quality, economical, easy to install, surfaces which will enhance the infrastructure for non-motorized transportation.  

-  Gerry Hawkes
    Bike Track, Inc.
    R.F.D. #1, Box 247
    Woodstock, VT 05091

    email ghawkes at sover.net  
    Tel.  802-457-3275
    Fax.  802-457-3704 


At 10:34 AM 5/15/97 +0800, you wrote:
>......
>>Still, all is not lost: one of the good things is that these cities still
>>have a chance to develop less car dominated systems.
>>I am presently working on a NMT pilot project in Kenya which is part of
>>the Worldbank coordinated Sub-Sahara Africa Transport Programme (SSATP)
>....
>Thanks Jan for the insight into Nairobi's situation and news on the World
>Bank project!  It is good to hear that NMT is getting some priority in
>this. At the Velo Australis conference last year I also heard a lot about
>similar projects in Tanzania.  By the way, if any of your African
>colleagues have e-mail we would welcome their contributions to this list!
>Feel free to let them know about it.
>
>>We are soon to make a pavement choice for a dedicated footpath/cycle track
>>network to be constructed in Eastern Nairobi as part of this project. I am
>>interested in hearing about experiences in similar areas with pavements
>>made of concrete slabs (say 30x30x5 cm) laid on a sand bed. Although we
>>have plenty of them in The Netherlands we are concerned that in extremely
>>poor areas theft of these slabs may be a problem.
>
>Perth in Western Australia has an extensive network of off-road bicycle
>ways, some of which use concrete slabs - larger than the ones you describe.
>They have very sandy soils and although it is a high income place, their
>bike budget contraints and long distances probably led them to look for low
>cost solutions.  I am searching for the contact details of BikeWest, the
>bicycle unit in the Department of Transport there.. but am having no luck.
>Anyone else?
>
>
>
>A. Rahman Paul Barter
>Sustainable Transport Action Network for Asia & the Pacific (SUSTRAN)
>c/- AP2000,  PO Box 12544,  50782 Kuala Lumpur,  Malaysia.
>Fax: +60 3 253 2361,  E-mail: tkpb at barter.pc.my
>
>