Streets and Sidewalks
Look down next time you walk to school: the sidewalk under your feet is usually about 5 feet wide — just wide enough for two people to walk side by side without stepping into the street. Someone planned that width on purpose, long before the sidewalk was ever built.
What You'll Learn
- Why sidewalks and streets are built as two separate paths - What a curb is and why it keeps you safe - How crosswalks and walk signals protect people crossing the street - Why stop signs are shaped the way they are
Why Streets and Sidewalks Are Separate
Cars, bikes, and people all need to get around, but they move at very different speeds — a car can travel 30 miles an hour while a walking kid moves about 3 miles an hour. City planners keep people on sidewalks and cars on streets so the fast and slow traffic never mix. The curb, that raised strip of concrete between the two, is a physical wall that stops cars from rolling onto the sidewalk.
Even with a curb, always stand at least one big step back from the edge while you wait to cross. Cars can't stop instantly, even when the driver sees you.
Crosswalks: The Safe Line
A crosswalk is a striped path painted across the street that tells both drivers and walkers exactly where crossing is expected. At a crosswalk with a signal, a white walking person means it's your turn to cross. When it switches to a flashing orange hand, you usually have about 7 to 10 seconds left to finish crossing — not enough time to start a new crossing, but enough to reach the other side if you're already halfway.
Signs That Talk to Cars and Walkers
A stop sign is shaped like an octagon (eight sides) on purpose — that unique shape can be recognized from the back or the side, even when it's covered in snow, so drivers coming from any direction know to stop. Walk and don't-walk signals do the same job for people on foot, using light instead of shape so they're easy to see even in the dark.
Match each street feature to what it does.
Terms
Definitions
Drag terms onto their definitions, or click a term then click a definition to match.
Why are sidewalks built separately from streets instead of sharing the same space as cars?
You're crossing at a signal and the white walking person switches to a flashing orange hand. What should you do?
Map Your Safe Street
Draw a bird's-eye view map of a street near your home or school. Label the sidewalk, the curb, one crosswalk, and one stop sign. Then, with an adult, walk the real route and check off each feature as you find it.
Next time you're walking with a grown-up, count how many seconds the flashing hand gives you at a real crosswalk. Compare it to how many steps it takes you to cross.
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