The rolled curbs of Phoenix, Arizona


I really don't know when I saw my first rolled curb. And if you're not sure what I mean, go take a walk in a fairly modern city, like Phoenix. It's a curb that isn't at sharp angles, it just does a gentle roll to the sidewalk.

Where I grew up, in Minneapolis, where the neighborhood had been built in the 1920s, there were no rolled curbs. In fact, there were no driveways in the front of the houses, the garages were accessed through the alleys. But in more modern neighborhoods, the driveways lead out to the street, crossing the sidewalk.

My neighborhood was built in 1985 with rolled curbs. Whether you consider 1985 to be modern, or old-time, depends on you, of course. The neighbor that I just waved to wasn't even born in 1985, so I'm sure that he has a different point of view than I do - I was two years out of college in 1985.

As you can see, a rolled sidewalk continues to roll even where there isn't a driveway. It's been explained to me that this saves the builders a lot of money and headaches as they can do the road and the sidewalks without having to worry about where exactly the driveways will be. And I've never heard anyone object to having a rolled sidewalk driveway, as opposed to a regular one. In fact, I'd imagine that most people in Phoenix, who never really get out of their cars, aren't even aware of the difference.

Speaking for myself, I prefer the rolled curbs. They make it easier for me to roll my trash cans out into the street (which is where they should be here in Glendale, not blocking the sidewalk), and it also makes for more comfortable walking on the sidewalks. That is, the sidewalks don't ever do even the slightest dip, they continue level, which as person with a bad ankle, I really appreciate.

The downside of rolled curbs is that it seems to encourage people to park on the sidewalk. I'm sure you've seen that, and you may have even been encouraged to sling a wheel up on the sidewalk. You could get a nasty ticket for parking your car on a sidewalk, but I've never heard of anyone getting one. I actually had a friend who had a new house on a cul-de-sac with rolled curbs, and he specifically told everyone to park with a wheel on the sidewalk. Of course, he wasn't blocking anyone in a wheelchair, or pushing a stroller, so it really didn't do any harm. I've seen big trucks parked with a wheel on the sidewalk, and I'm sure that they do it so that their side-view mirrors don't get hit.

The sidewalks in my little suburban neighborhood don't get used much, but they do get use. Children use them, and I'll sometimes see someone on a motorized wheelchair. Sidewalks are intended to be safe places, away from cars, and I like to see that most people in cars respect that, and stay off of them.

Thank you for walking me on rolled curb sidewalks!
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