Cobbled Roads - Why?

[simonhill]

For most of us, cobbled roads are a thing of the past. The short dead end High Street in my local Old Town is cobbled and jolly luverly it looks for the tourists.

I am in Portugal at the moment and they have lots of cobbled roads. Not just old ones but brand new ones as well. Usually with cobbled pavements to match.

Cycling on these us a pain and I rarely see any utility cyclists in the towns.

Can anyone explain the advantages of cobbled roads in an urban environment? About the only plus is they probably slow vehicles down a bit, but modern cars seem to handle them pretty well.

Against is definitely noise plus not so good for cyclists, etc. Add: worse rolling resistance; tyre debris; tyre and general vehicle wear and tear; etc. Are cobbles better than tarmac: longevity; source material; labour; etc. Can anyone help.

Am I missing something. Why are Portugal building new roads with cobbles?

As an additional, the pavements are literally a pain to walk on.

[rotavator]

Arguably, cobbled streets look better than tarmac, especially in historic touristy parts of towns, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

May be they provide better traction for shoes and tyres when the roads are a bit icy or have thin covering of snow or slush. May be some one in Scandinavia could comment.

I guess that they last longer than tarmac but again I have no data and the difference in initial cost would have to be factored in. I assume cobbled streets are a lot more expensive than tarmac.

No hydrocarbons, i.e. tar, needed. May be this will become more of an issue in the future when oil production has ceased, and when I guess concrete will become the main road-making material.

[Jdsk]

Why are Portugal building new roads with cobbles?

Cobbles or setts?

Thanks

Jonathan

[Jamesh]

Arguably, cobbled streets look better than tarmac, especially in historic touristy parts of towns, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

May be they provide better traction for shoes and tyres when the roads are a bit icy or have thin covering of snow or slush. May be some one in Scandinavia could comment.

I guess that they last longer than tarmac but again I have no data and the difference in initial cost would have to be factored in. I assume cobbled streets are a lot more expensive than tarmac.

No hydrocarbons, i.e. tar, needed. May be this will become more of an issue in the future when oil production has ceased, and when I guess concrete will become the main road-making material.

Ones in Yorkshire are set in tar.

Concrete is no better than tarmac for the environment.

Cheers James

[Pebble]

We have the hard basalt type cobbles in our local town, they look wonderful (even to non tourists) and they certainly seem to require considerably less maintenance than a tarmac road.

Against, very slippy in the wet and not that much grip in the dry. Stupidly hard, would hate to fall on them, far noisier than tarmac when cars drive on them.

Awful to cycle on, bumpy, poor grip and when the material between them starts to wear your tyre can get caught between the cobbles which is a bit disconcerting - also not good for women in heels, they can get caught between the cobbles, and if there is a fast car coming the shoe needs to be quickly abandoned. (has happened to the wife a few times - lol)

[colin54]

Might it be easier to repair any underground utility issues ?

[Paulatic]

Might it be easier to repair any underground utility issues ?

Looking at what happened with Alston Main Street I’d say no.
Closed for many weeks, for a water main I think, and a very large portion of cobbles lost. Replaced with asphalt! Criminal if you ask me.

[Mick F]

We were driving towards Liskeard yesterday, and the A390 winds down and down to Newbridge over the River Lyhner.
The tarmac is often being repaired. Potholes develop and the tarmac cracks too.

Why?
Because the road is a river when it rains. Yes, there's drainage and a stream, but there's high grounds to the left that continually has rainwater seeping onto the road. Any drains always clog up with leaves as the trees are terribly overgrown.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.48850 ... 312!8i6656

Cobbles would cope better than tarmac.

[Paradiddle]

New cobbled road is a terrible idea IMO, especially with really chunky raised cobbles. Other than aesthetics and slowing down traffic I don't see why you would limit the utility of a road. Even for pedestrian-only areas, it seems a nightmare for people with mobility or visual disability.

This is also coming from someone who doesn't appreciate Paris-Roubaix other than for the tradition

[gbnz]

Arguably, cobbled streets look better than tarmac, especially in historic touristy parts of towns, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Cobbled streets may be a nightmare to walk, cycle or whatever, but? Aside from being a means by which vehicles may be slowed, they can be aesthetically pleasing, adding character to an area and so on.

Rather like the medieval town gates allowing access into the local town, the cobbled streets, the disused castle, water fountains and avenues of trees, they may not have any practical value. But humans aren't practical, pragmatic creatures - rather like covering saddles with the skin stripped off a cows back, it doesn't make any sense. But some prefer it

[simonineaston]

My medical centre, with which I am increasingly familiar now I'm crumbling to bits, has a yard that's beset with semi-recessed tram lines. An excellent opportunity for them to drum up custom.

[Audax67]

Why are Portugal building new roads with cobbles?

Cobbles or setts?

Thanks

Jonathan

I should think the badgers would object.

[jb]

I thought cobbles were random lumps of stone same as coal lumps. They tend to be held in place with a loose binder making a slightly more durable surface than a stone chipping track.

[Jdsk]

I thought cobbles were random lumps of stone same as coal lumps.

Yes. The usage is slightly inconsistent but that's why I asked whether they were cobbles or setts (squared off blocks).

Jonathan

[Audax67]

My dad was very quick to jump on that too. "Square setts!" he'd say if I ever remarked on cobbles when we were out anywhere. Then I'd use square setts when talking to my school friends and they'd say "W.T.F. are you talking about?" I'd explain and they'd say "oh" and go ahead calling them cobbles, and probably call me something anatomical and malodorous into the bargain.

French, praise be, calls them all pavés, although during the 1968 Sorbonne contretemps they were also referred to as "student ballots".