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Multiple Choice

Which statement about the cross section of a street is NOT usually true?

Cross sections of streets are shaped to shed rainwater to the edges while keeping ride quality and safety in mind. The street is typically crowned, meaning the center is slightly higher so water runs toward the sides into the gutters. The cross slope—the vertical drop from the center to the gutter—is kept gentle, usually around 1% to 2%, just enough to drain without causing a harsh or unstable ride for vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclists. It’s common today to include sidewalks and bike facilities in the street cross section, reflecting multimodal design. Saying roads are typically sloped one inch per foot or higher would imply a cross slope of about 8% or more, which is far steeper than standard practice. That would create an uncomfortable ride, traction issues for tires, and accessibility problems, so it’s not usually true.

Cross sections of streets are shaped to shed rainwater to the edges while keeping ride quality and safety in mind. The street is typically crowned, meaning the center is slightly higher so water runs toward the sides into the gutters. The cross slope—the vertical drop from the center to the gutter—is kept gentle, usually around 1% to 2%, just enough to drain without causing a harsh or unstable ride for vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclists. It’s common today to include sidewalks and bike facilities in the street cross section, reflecting multimodal design.

Saying roads are typically sloped one inch per foot or higher would imply a cross slope of about 8% or more, which is far steeper than standard practice. That would create an uncomfortable ride, traction issues for tires, and accessibility problems, so it’s not usually true.