Safety of Cobblestone Streets

Although cobblestone streets can be a notable feature of any city, they can be as treacherous to traverse as they are beautiful. Whether walking, biking or riding a car over them, the streets can be extremely bumpy and hard to navigate. However, there are strategies available for traveling over cobblestone streets in safety.

Definition

• Photographer and travel enthusiast Anthony Atkielski defines cobblestone streets as little cubes of rock surrounded by sand. When setting the stones, workers must make sure they are properly aligned, level and smooth to avoid an uneven surface. The process has not changed for well over a century, as Atkielski explains there is photographic evidence of workers arranging stones in the same way in Paris circa 1899.

Safety Concerns

• According to Atkielski, the major safety concerns associated with cobblestone streets involve traveling over them. They can cause disorientation and dislocate joints of people riding bikes, and they can cause blisters and even twisted ankles for pedestrians. Because the stones used in cobblestone streets are usually very smooth, they can become very slick in wet weather, which can lead to even more hazardous conditions.

Improper Resetting

• Some cobblestone streets, when left undisturbed, can remain fairly flat, according to John Morris, a correspondent for the online magazine Goodnight Raleigh. After examining the history of the cobblestone streets in Raleigh, North Carolina, Morris learned that the uneven, dangerous conditions of the cobblestone streets were the result of workers digging them up and not properly resetting them. Morris said workers relaid the rocks haphazardly, which undid years of settling, and then cast concrete between them. This method of laying the stone caused large gaps and an uneven surface, causing the already bumpy roads to get even worse.

Walking

• Treading carefully, especially when the stones are wet, is the best advice for walkers. Atkielski strongly advises that women not wear high heels on cobblestone streets, as this already challenging mode of transport becomes nearly impossible on cobblestones. Practical Hacks reviews travel gear and accessories and they recommend a couple of shoe brands that are great for all-around travel, including cobblestone streets. The website recommends shoes by Sebago and GoLite for their combination of comfort and rugged design, but any shoe with good grip and tread is encouraged for cobblestone streets.

Biking

• While many people would probably walk their bikes across cobblestones, bikers have devised strategies for conquering cobblestone streets. Frederick Lippens and Jack Sweeney of Bike Commuters can provide several tips for dealing with cobblestone streets on a bike. Lippens recommends staying seated, deflating tires for long stretches of cobblestone and choosing a bike with a less stiff frame. Lippens also says riding faster is preferred because it allows riders to "float" from stone to stone, but he said this method should not be used under rainy conditions. Sweeney adds that during such conditions riders should maintain a constant speed and refrain from sudden bursts of speed or braking.