New road surface sucks up puddles

A new type of road surface sucks up puddles – an innovation that promises to make winter commuting safer for cyclists and motorists alike.

road surface sucks up puddles

Standing water is always unwelcome for cyclists – not least because it’s impossible to see what hazards lurk below the surface. Topmix Permeable is a fast-road surface that rapidly directs storm water off streets and walkways. The engineers who developed the surface claim that it reduces long-term maintenance costs for local authorities. Even more importantly, it could help reduce standing water.

Large puddles at the kerbside are a particular hazard for cyclists because they can force you into a position in the road that can leave you exposed to danger.

Road surface sucks up puddles, but where does the water go?

The topmix permeable road surface sucks up puddles, but where does the water go? It simply allows water to drain quickly and efficiently into the substrate, thereby taking the strain off drains that can be overwhelmed by heavy rain.

Puddles on the road

Large puddles and standing water can force cyclists into a dangerous position on the road

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Comments

  1. Matt Hodges

    Reply

    It sounds very good but how long will it be before it clogs? An enormous amount of debris falls onto road surfaces and normally washes into drains clogging them up. Leaves pounded into mush by tyres; rubber from tyres; soil from adjacent verges and gateways; and all sorts of rubbish falling off vehicles. Gullies need cleaning regularly removing tons of muck. One of our problems today is with funding cuts highway authorities are skimping on gully emptying resulting in blocked gullies and large puddles.

    With this porous surface that same muck will clog the pores over time. How long will it be before not only the road surface needs replacing but also the substrate that is now bunged up with muck that can’t be easily removed as it can from proper gullies? This sounds like a short term solution that will result in a much greater long term problem.

    It is the old Tory problem; save pence today and let someone else spend pounds tomorrow to put it right.

    • Corrigan Blake

      Reply

      Totally agree Mr Hodges

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