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Cleveland Pavements
A Report of the Municipal Committee
of
The Cleveland Chamber of Commerce
A. Lewenthal
Edward J. Stone
H. A. Adams
Frank D. Bittinger
Frank C. Caine
H. B. Cody
Mark A. Copeland
G. B. Durell
H. M. Farnsworth
F. H. Peters
H. B. Prather
Joseph Ranft
W. C. Saunders
E. A. Upstill
J. H. Van Derveer
J. W. Vanderwerf
Municipal Committee
Cleveland Pavements
To the Board of Directors of
The Cleveland Chamber of Commerce.
Gentlemen: The condition of the pavements on our
city streets and especially upon the main thoroughfares has
been the subject of considerable criticism. In view of this
criticism, the board of directors of this Chamber adopted
the following resolutions on June 25th, 1913:
"The directors of The Cleveland Chamber of
Commerce desire to express their interest in the
plans of the city administration for improving the
condition of the pavements of the city—a condition
which the administration is quite aware does not
reflect credit upon the city.
The Vice President of the Chamber (in the
absence of the President) is requested to ascertain
the plans of the administration with reference to
this matter, and to assure the administration of
the desire of the Chamber to co-operate toward securing an improvement."
In view of the fact that paving conditions were little
improved during the summer and fall of 1913, and because
of the statement of city officials that they were unable to
cope with the situation, at the suggestion of President Hayden, the municipal committee was directed to consider the
paving problem, and, if possible, suggest a program that
would result in placing our streets in repair and properly
maintaining them in the future.
In making its investigation of the subject your committee availed itself of the books and publications in
the library of Case School of Applied Science, Western Reserve Library of Research in Government, Cleveland Public Library and Case Library. Communications were directed to civic organizations and to city officials in a number of the more important cities in this country, for the
purpose of procuring reports and other data that might
assist your committee in its work from several of
these cities valuable information was received, but we were
surprised to find how little tabulated information was obtainable upon this important subject, and how little consideration had been given to it by civic organizations and
city officials in the more important cities of this country.
Your sub-committee also held numerous conferences
with paving experts and with our city officials. We are
especially indebted to Mr. Will P. Blair, Secretary of the
National Paving Brick Manufacturers Association; to Mr.
M. F. Bramley, of the Cleveland Trinidad Paving Co.; to
Mr. Wm. J. Springborn, Director of Public Service; to Mr.
Robert Hoffmann, Chief Engineer, to Mr. Thomas Coughlin,
Director of Finance, of this city, and to Mr. J. J. Stanley,
President of the Cleveland Railway Co. President Hayden
assisted in the deliberations of the committee, and Mr. F.
A. Pease, of the Pease Engineering Co., rendered valuable
expert service as consulting engineer.
The committee on city finances, upon request, furnished information with reference to the financial problem
involved.
Your committee visited and took note of the condition
of pavements in the more important streets of the city.
Typical pavements of medina block, brick, wood block and
asphalt were examined, as was the resurfacing work on a
number of streets, and the concrete pavement recently installed (as an experiment) between the car tracks in certain streets.
WHAT THE COMMITTEE FOUND
Your committee recognizes that at this time of the
year, repair work for several months during the winter
being impossible, the pavements are in their worst condition. This condition is emphasized in those streets containing car tracks.
In many instances the pavements between the car
tracks and to a considerable extent outside were found to
be so rough and so full of holes, with projecting paving
stones and tracks sunken below the level of the surrounding
pavement as to make the road
were many instances where the railway company had made
excavations for the purpose of repairing the joints of the
rails, and the
binder,
pavement. Because of these conditions, instead of using
the entire surface of the street, thus distributing the wear,
vehicles are forced to use the pavement between the rail
and the curb, where the tendency is to run in a certain path,
streets (without car tracks) were found to be in need of
immediate attention, while the condition of some seemed to
indicate that they were beyond repair.
REASONS FOR THESE CONDITIONS
Through its investigation of the subject your committee has reached the conclusion that the present poor condition of the pavements is largely due:
To the failure to properly repair and keep up pavements between and immediately adjacent to the street car
tracks.
To the fact (through lack of sufficient appropriations for paving maintenance) the city
dangerous,
and broken places, which,
receive prompt attention.
Funds have been wasted in the repair of pavements that should be repaved, in the effort to
life far beyond the limit to which it was intended the pavement should last.
The older pavements laid under obsolete specifications are unable to withstand the vibration and wear of
present traffic.
Demands of property owners protesting against
the cost of appropriate pavements receive
precedence over ultimate economy.
The growth of the city and changing conditions
require alteration of sewers, water pipe and other underground structures, making necessary the frequent tearing
up and replacement of pavements.
Where pavements have been torn up, replacements
have not been properly made.
No traffic statistics have been kept as a basis for
determining the value of the various kinds of pavements
used and the value of the various kinds of construction.
The city has never had a comprehensive paving program. Miles of new streets are laid each year but no means
are provided for keeping them in proper repair.
A large number of pavements that were laid years ago
have no concrete base. They were sufficient to bear the
traffic of that day. The advent of the heavy motor truck
has caused them to wear and break down rapidly. Formerly pavements in rough condition, being used only by slowly
moving vehicles, were considered sufficient to meet the
needs. With the fast moving vehicle and heavier truck of
the present day a smoother and more durable roadway is
demanded.
City officials of succeeding administrations have not
seemed to realize the importance of
in proper repair.
As a result the pavements have become worse from year
to year, until the situation has reached
immediate attention.
failure to properly maintain the pavements cannot be determined accurately. The shortening of the life of pavements and the added maintenance cost
part of the loss.
upon vehicles, the loss in horse power in hauling loads over
such surfaces, the added cost of street cleaning due to the
uneven condition, and the injury to health due to resultant
unsanitary conditions.
We are firmly of the opinion that if the true proportion
of this loss were known to the community, present practices
would not be tolerated, and public opinion would force city
officials to give proper attention to this very important municipal function and provide ways and means for proper maintenance.
PHYSICAL CONDITIONS
Cleveland has 495.2 miles of paved streets, of an average width of 30 feet, divided as follows:
99.9 miles of Medina block.
364.9 miles of brick.
24.8 miles of asphalt.
1.4 miles of wood block.
1.4 miles of tar macadam.
0.4 miles of bitulithic.
2.4 miles of limestone macadam.
Resurfacing has been tried recently, and the following
streets have been covered with a bituminous concrete coating approximately 2 inches in thickness:
Chestnut Ave.—East 9th St. to East 12th St.
Carnegie Ave.—East 35th PI. to East 40th St.
East 12th St.—Euclid to Payne Ave.
East 40th St.—Kelley to Perkins Ave.
East 19th St.—Euclid to Alley.
Hough Ave.—East 71st St. to East 72nd St.
Of the total number of paved streets, approximately 50
miles should be repaved, and repairing is needed on from 350
to 400 streets.
FINANCES
Your committee is indebted to the committee on city
finances of the Chamber for the following facts and suggestions :
"Cleveland had outstanding on April 8th, $41,673,056.22 of bonds. In addition $6,872,000 in bonds are authoried but unissued; a total of $48,545,056.22. A detailed
statement of the bonded indebtedness is appended hereto
as part of this report. Under the Longworth Law which
limits the bonds that may be issued by council and by referendum to 21/2% each, of the total duplicate, the council
still has power to issue, estimated upon the present duplicate of $814,308,510, bonds in the amount of $319,216.30,
and there may still be issued by referendum $15,263,712.
Law
Tax Laiu,
all purposes, exclusive of certain state levies, which bring
the tax levy in Cleveland to 151/a mills on the dollar. This
levy at present is divided as follows:
City—
Operating 3.9 mills
Interest and sinking fund 2.33506.2350
Operating 1.3274
Interest and sinking fund 1.18602.5134
T
Operating 4.9
Interest and sinking fund 41515.3151
Operating 4451
Interest and sinking fund 0304.4755
Total 15.5
SOME SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
It is estimated that the receipts from taxes for city
sinking fund and interest in 1914 will amount to $1,750,000.
To pay interest and establish a sinking fund upon all
outstanding general bonds (not including special assessment
and waterworks bonds, payment for which is otherwise provided) to retire them when due, $5,532,493.53 would be required, or more than three times the amount that will be received from taxes for sinking fund purposes under the present rate.
To provide the present insufficient amount, tax payers are
paying into the sinking fund 37^c on every dollar of tax
money.
To provide a sinking fund upon all bonds and pay interest would require a greater levy than is now levied for
all city purposes.
is so great that more money is now needed for sinking fund
purposes than is raised for all city purposes.
FORMER FINANCING METHODS: THE NEW RULE
This condition is due to the fact that in past years it
has been customary to issue bonds without providing means
for their payment when due, and the bonded indebtedness
has continued to increase until it requires this year for interest alone $1,375,422.56. When bonds have become due
and the sinking fund had not sufficient funds to retire them,
it has been customary to renew them.
In 1914 $1,917,700 in bonds fall due.
and seventy thousand dollars of these bonds will be renewed.
considerable portion ($876,700) are for street improvement
purposes, payment for which is provided by special assessments upon benefited property. In 1915 $1,550,000 will fall
due, and in 1916 and 1917 approximately the same amount.
Formerly, as maturing bonds were renewed it was only
necessary under the law, to provide for the annual payment
of interest.
The new constitution, (Article 12, Section 11,) provides that no bonded indebtedness shall be incurred or renewed unless in the legislation in which such indebtedness
is incurred provision is made for levying and collecting
annually by taxation an amount sufficient to pay interest
and sinking fund. This provision seems to be mandatory,
and will mean that as bonds are issued or renewed, provision must be made annually by taxation to retire them,
thus largely increasing the amount that must be raised by
taxation for sinking fund purposes, which has already become burdensome.
INCREASED DUPLICATE EXPECTED: ITS EFFECT
As the maximum tax rate is fixed and has already been
reached, under the present law, the only relief to the city
is by means of an increased duplicate. Under the new deputy state tax commissioner system, which became operative
on January 1st, 1914, we are informed (upon competent
authority) that there will probably be added to the city
duplicate $75,000,000 in 1914 and to the county duplicate
$125,000,000. We are further informed that under the revaluation of real property, there will probably be a further
addition to the city duplicate in 1915 of $150,000,000, and
to the county duplicate $200,000,000. The additional income due to this increased duplicate, if made in accordance
with the above estimate and if the present tax rate and proportional allowances are maintained, will result in increasing the revenue of the various taxing districts as follows:
19151916
City $ 467,625 $1,402,875
County 314,175816,855
Board of Education 398,632 1,195,897
Total $1,180,432 $3,415,627
From officials of each of these taxing bodies we areinformed that the city, which issued $400,000 deficiencynotes last year, this year will find it necessary to issue additional notes in the amount of $300,000, that the countywill run behind $300,000, and that the Board of Educationwill have a shortage of $110,000.
As the first payment of taxes upon the increased duplicate will not be collected until next December, the increased
revenue will not be available this year, and even with the
increased duplicate, from which a larger revenue may be
had, the situation will still be critical, as the demands become greater each year. From the above facts it is evident that the utmost economy must be practiced by all of
these taxing bodies, and that only such bonds should be
issued as are absolutely necessary to enable the fulfillment
of the duties that properly belong to each.
THE UNDERLYING DIFFICULTY
This financial condition is not only apparent in Cleveland ; practically every other city in the state has a similar
problem, varying in degree, but of the same general character. This situation has led to considerable criticism of
the Smith Tax Law, which limits the tax rate that may be
charged by the various taxing districts to 15 mills for all
purposes.
a broader one; that it is due to the obsolete method of taxation by uniform rule, enforced by our state constitution. It
is impossible under this rule to secure adequate return of
intangible property for taxation.
various classes of property.
The Chamber has advocated the principle of classification of property for the purpose of taxation for a number
of years, believing that only by this means, equitably applied, can there be secured proper returns of intangible
property thus adding greatly to the tax duplicate.
the constitution of the state is changed in this particular,
we can see but little permanent relief of present conditions.
PAVING AS A FINANCIAL PROBLEM
We have given careful consideration to the subject of
financing city pavements. We find the conditions are such
that relief must be afforded at once. In view of the involved condition of the city's finances, we have examined
all possible avenues from which assistance might be received.
STATE FUNDS
As the law now stands, we are of the opinion that no
assistance can be had from the state funds for upkeep of
inter-county roads, as the law specifically excludes roads
within municipal corporations. While the law locating certain main market roads, as distinguished from inter-county
roads, (103 0. L., page 155) provides that 25% of the five
mill levy directed to be made for the purpose shall be expended on certain designated roads or routes, and although
the roads described as numbers one, nine and ten pass
through Cleveland, and the portions within its limits are
apparently eligible to improvement from the fund, we are
informed that the State Highway Commissioner is unwilling
to expend any portion of the fund on roads within any
municipality.
It is claimed by thoughtful students of our financial
methods that Cleveland contributes by taxation, including
the corporation and others, one-third of the entire state
revenue. If this is true the contribution
city from the state. On the first of last January the state
had a balance in the treasury of over
Cleveland had a deficit of
last year.
Committee on City Finances. If it is found that this city is
paying an excessive amount to the state in taxes, such adjustments as are equitable should be made. Any reduction
in the state receipts due to the levy of .9610 mills upon the
duplicate or from the liquor tax would add to the possible
income of the various taxing districts, and some relief might
result to the city from this source.
COUNTY FUNDS
We have also studied the condition of the county's funds
and its power to render assistance by the repaving of main
thoroughfares within the city limits that are county roads.
We can find no legal objection to the county doing this
work. The city pays over 80% of the entire county tax
receipts, and that part of the tax moneys used for roads has
been expended almost entirely upon those outside of the city
limits. In view of the deficit in the county finances this year,
which has been estimated by the county auditor at $300,000,
a condition which, according to his statement, will become
worse from year to year, there is doubt as to the county's
ability to be of assistance. However, if means can be found
by the County Commissioners to assist the city by repaving
certain of its streets which are county roads, it might well
be regarded as a return due to the city for the large proportion of the county tax which is derived from the levy upon
the city duplicate.
Of course this consideration raises other questions as to
the relation of the city and the county as independent taxing
districts. But though they are important and are receiving
consideration from the Committee on City Finances they have
no immediate bearing upon the present report.
A WHEEL TAX
We have further examined the law and court decisions
in the effort to reach a conclusion with reference to the
power of the city to impose a license or tax upon vehicles.
The supreme court of the state decided (Pegg vs. City, 80
O. S. 367) that a city of Ohio could not enforce an ordinance
requiring persons residing outside to obtain a license from
the city in order to pass over its streets, and the
opinion of the court in this case and decisions cited by the
court, renders it very doubtful that an enforceable license
provision could be enacted requiring residents of the city
to obtain a license to use, for private purposes, vehicles
upon its streets in going from place to place.
It seems well settled that under the present law a tax
cannot be levied in the guise of a license fee and if a license
fee is charged which unreasonably exceeds the expense of
the license regulation, its collection may not be enforced.
CITY PAVEMENTS A CITY PROBLEM
In view of the above facts we have reached the conclusion that the paving problem must be solved by the city
itself. Under the city charter the city is only
the option of the city council, to pay for new pavements
and for repaving (after a pavement has been down fifteen
years) 2% of the cost, plus the cost of street intersections.
The present problem is largely one of repaying and repairing. It has been customary in the past for the city to pay
50% of the cost of repaying, the owners of property benefited paying the balance. By decreasing the percentage
which the city is required to pay, the city council can shift
the burden from the city to the property owner.
We have examined statistics of the method of apportioning the cost of pavements in fifty of the important
cities in this country. We include a copy of these statistics
as part of this report; a summary of the statistics follow:
In 62% of these cities the property pays all.
In 6% the property pays 50%.
In 10% the property pays more than 50% and less
than 100% except in one city where the property pays 30%.
In 22% of these cities the city pays all.
In 42% of these cities the property pays all.
In 10% the property pays 50%.
In 8 % the property pays between 50% and 100%.
In 40% the city pays all.
Approximately 25% of the cities pay the major part
of the original paving, while 40% of the cities do the major
part of repaving.
Upon certain down town streets where the business is
of such a nature that the condition of the streets is an important factor, we believe the proportion paid by the property owner might well be increased. This might also be
the case upon certain main thoroughfares where additional
benefits are derived from greater traffic. In such instances
the city might well be relieved of a considerable part of
the cost of repaving. For other streets we believe the cost
should be shared in just proportion, probably under the
old method of 50% for the city and 50% for the property
owner. There could be little objection to the city issuing
bonds for its portion of repaving
issued for a term of years equal to the life of the pavement.
We believe that repaving might be termed a repair or
a renewal of pavements, and that the city's proportion thereof, theoretically, should be provided for from tax receipts.
However, we find that, assuming the life of a pavement to
be twenty years, it would be impossible to set aside from
the city's revenue a sufficient amount for this purpose.
Cleveland has 500 miles of pavements, the original cost of
which averaged, approximately, $60,000 per mile.
If the average life of a pavement is 20 years, an average of
25 miles must be repaved annually, at an expense of $1,500,000.
It may be interesting to note that if the policy were pursued for 20 years of repaving 25 miles per year, and twentyyear paving bonds were issued at the rate of 4^% per annum, the annual cost for sinking fund and interest would be
$2,340,000.
As it is impossible to provide the city's portion of $1,500,000 per year to take care of this repaving from general revenue, it will be necessary to issue bonds for the purpose.
The
It should be paid out of tax receipts. The city should adopt
a program for placing a sufficient number of streets in repair each year so that the city in a short time will have well
paved and satisfactory pavements, the most important
streets being cared for first. A survey of street conditions
should be made by the proper department, and a report submitted to the proper city officials
year;
immediately thereafter; and the funds reported as necessary
for repairs during the year should be appropriated for that
purpose.
As street paving is without doubt one of the most important municipal functions, it is the plain duty of city
officials to keep the pavements in good condition. We believe that if funds are not available for all of the city activities which are being assumed, that it becomes necessary for
the city, as it would for a business firm or individual, to
retrench; retrenchment should
are not primarily functions of municipal government, in
order that those functions which are clearly the duty of the
municipality may not be impaired.
STREET RAILWAY AND PAVEMENTS
The condition of our streets would be greatly improved
if the street car tracks were kept in good repair. Pavement maintenance by the street railway company is paid
from its operation and maintenance fund. Section 21 of
the Tayler Franchise provides that the allowances for operation and maintenance may be increased or decreased by
agreement between the city and company, and in the event
of disagreement, the matter shall be submitted to arbitration.
Your committee believes that the city has the power to
force the railway company to keep the pavements within
its tracks and one foot outside of the outer rails in proper
repair. Sufficient funds can be provided by increasing the
car mile allowance for operation and maintenance purposes.
The present neglectful policy represents gross wastefulness.
ENGINEERING
The providing of proper specifications and the construction of all new pavements are now under the supervision of the Division of Engineering and Construction,
and an assistant engineer has been placed in full charge
of this work. Street repairs, however, are the concern of
the Division of Streets. Under the new charter both the
Division of Engineering and Construction and the Division
of Streets are part of the Department of Public Service.
The laying of new pavements and the repairing of pavements are both engineering problems.
We recommend, if possible, that both of these important functions be placed under the direction of the City Engineer who is in charge of the Division of Engineering and Construction.
In this connection we desire to quote from an article
by Mr. Samuel Whinery of New York a consulting engineer
and an acknowledged authority upon this subject. Mr.
Whinery, in an article in the
"Street paving in American cities has not kept pace with
the other departments of municipal public work. This is principally due to the fact that the theory and practice of paving
city streets has not been developed along scientific lines, and
this condition is in turn largely attributable to the fact that
the work has not been sufficiently under the control of competent engineers. The public does not understand or appreciate that street paving is a branch of municipal work requiring for its proper conduct the knowledge and experience of
able engineers. The engineer has been ignored and unappreciated, and his function has been assumed by other civic
authorities. The results, painfully obvious in most of our
cities, are what might be expected. The conditions art not
too strongly expressed by the word "chaotic." More money is
spent—and enormous sums misspent—in this department of
city work than in any other, and yet our streets are the most
discreditable feature of American municipal work.
It may be confidently asserted that the first and most important step in any successful attempt at reform in American
street paving practice must be the recognition that it is a
branch of municipal work which requires the services of the
high class engineer, whose advice and authority must be accepted and allowed to control. With this first step taken,
the others necessarily will follow automatically. The engineer
will take care of them. When he shall be given the proper
latitude and authority, he will willingly accept responsibility
for results in this, as he has in other fields, and will achieve
the same high measure of success."
WEIGHT OF LOAD AND WIDTH OF TIRE '
The city should provide by ordinance for restricting
the width of tires upon vehicles, the weight of loads to be
permitted upon the city streets, and the speed at which
heavily loaded vehicles may proceed. The incorporation
in the city traffic ordinance of sections restricting the maximum of loads and regulating the speed of heavily loaded
vehicles is now being considered by a committee of the city
council.
We believe there should also be incorporated in this
ordinance a section restricting the width of tires. Experts
disagree as to the width of tires that should be permitted
under certain loads.
We suggest that the city council committee confer with
the city engineer, inviting his suggestions for such regulations.
SPECIFICATIONS
Printed specifications are used in procuring bids upon
street paving, thus assuring that all bids submitted shall be
made upon the same basis. Those now used by this city we
believe to be generally satisfactory, gauged by the engineering standards of this country. The American Society of
Civil Engineers has given especial attention to the subject
of paving specifications. They have been thoroughly discussed in engineering journals, and they have received
consideration at conventions of engineers. In view of the
attention given to the subject in recent years, specifications
may be said to have been standardized. Those in use in this
city are generally approved by American engineers.
In view of the importance of this subject and the large
sums that the city must spend each year for paving, we
believe our engineers should be familiar not only with the
best practices in this country, but also with the best methods of European countries. Conditions of traffic are changing and pavements must be improved to meet these conditions. When we compare the two-ton load of a few years
ago with the loads now carried by heavy trucks, when we
note the vibration due to these heavy loads and the attendant strain upon the pavement, and the tendency to use
the truck as a tractor for hauling several heavily loaded
vehicles in addition to the load it bears itself, we begin to
realize that to stand this added strain the construction of
our pavements must be greatly improved. The devising of
new methods to meet these conditions is the function of the
engineering department. Paving methods in Europe are
said to be more advanced than those in American cities.
They have already solved some of the problems with which
we are now confronted.
be given the opportunity of studying foreign methods and
of becoming familiar with the pavement construction that
has been adopted by the best European enigneers.
advantage of knowledge that has been acquired by experience.
We believe that the outlay necessary to send a representative abroad would be a wise expenditure, and would be an
economy in the end, as the knowledge gained would save
years of costly experiment, with its attendant expense and
inconvenience to the public.
INSPECTION
No part of the laying of pavements is more important
than that of city inspection. The best specifications are
useless unless their requirements are enforced. Inspectors
in this city are now required to pass a civil service examination, and are selected from the civil service list. The
Civil Service Commission has courteously furnished us
with lists of questions which constitute the examinations of
MAP AND TEXT FOLLOW ON SEPARATE PAGE
MPA
inspectors for sewers and pavements. Men who succeed
in passing these examinations must have a good technical
knowledge of the subject, and it becomes only necessary for
city officials to select those who are best able to meet other
necessary requirements. In view of the importance of having the best inspectors on every job, and in view of the fact
that the life and efficiency of pavements depends so largely
upon proper inspection, your committee urges that the city
officials use their best judgment in selecting these men and
give special care to their instruction. We suggest that meetings might be held, under the charge of competent instructors, in order that the inspectors may become thoroughly
familiar with their duties, profit by an interchange of
ideas, and perhaps establish an invaluable
We are informed that the engineer in charge of pavements has been furnished with an automobile and endeavors to visit each job once a day. To accomplish this task
his time upon each must be limited.
during the paving season a corps of thoroughly competent
engineers be detailed to this work in addition to the chief
inspector.
LABOR
The Director of Public Service has informed us that
it is exceedingly difficult to procure necessary labor for
street paving and repairing purposes. The season for laying and repairing pavements is short, and the work is often
interrupted by inclement weather. A vast amount of work
must be done in a few months, and a large number of men
is needed.
skilled pavers for both new paving and repairing.
can be put upon the work under the direction of skilled
pavers. In this way the apprentices will be given the opportunity of learning the trade, and a staff of skilled men will
be developed. If this method is pursued, we believe that
the city would find itself with a large body of men perfectly capable, under proper supervision, to do repairing of the
streets, and if necessary to assist in the laying of new
pavements.
5. Concrete placed between street car tracks in this
city has deteriorated rapidly and even though in use but a
short time
inconvenient and even dangerous to traffic. It is difficult to
repair and consequently costly of maintenance.
We believe it is not suitable for a wearing surface upon
city streets and recommend that its use be discontinued until
new methods of mixing be devised and it has been demonstrated that such new methods will produce a satisfactory
pavement.
UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES
We are informed by the city engineer that Cleveland
has records of underground structures in the streets and
that before a new pavement is put down, precaution is
taken that all reasonable requirements for underground
structures are complied with.
Notwithstanding this precaution, your sub-committee
finds that pavements are sometimes broken into soon after
the work is completed.
The character and requirements of our streets are
changing, due to the rapid growth of the city, and alterations in underground construction must be permitted to
meet these new requirements. When found to be absolutely necessary, of course, permission should be granted,
pavements should only be permitted to be disturbed after
careful consideration, and then only upon the approval of
the engineering department.
The construction of large conduits in streets by the city
in which wires, cables, pipes, etc., could be laid and for which
a rental charge could be made to corporations using them
would do much to eliminate the practice of tearing up pavements. The cost is very high, still we believe the city should
consider their use in down town streets.
"A PERNICIOUS PRACTICE"
The opening of pavements greatly shortens their life, as
the sub-grade is disturbed and the strength of the base
weakened, and the condition of our streets shows that the
work of replacement, as a rule, is slighted. Contractors
are permitted to do back-filling by puddling, under city
supervision. The city replaces the pavement except where
the guarantee has not yet expired; in such instances the
work may be done by the paving contractor.
The parties who make the excavation are not interested in the condition of the street after the work is done.
They have complied with all of the requirements when the
back-filling has been passed by the city inspector, and the
cost of relaying the pavement has been paid.
In view of the generally poor conditions resulting from
this practice and the interest of the city in the condition of
its pavements, which is paramount, we believe that the entire
replacement of both back-fill and pavement should be done
by the city and its cost charged to the parties at whose instance the excavation was made.
The practice of puddling is not permitted in many
American cities, but all earth is required to be back-filled
by tamping. While this practice may add to the first cost,
we believe that the expenditure would be more than offset
by the longer life of the pavement and its better condition
while in use.
It has been repeatedly proven that where puddling is
done, pavements on our streets soon settle, become uneven
and broken, the life of the pavement is shortened and the
maintenance cost is excessive. . The tamping back of earth,
we believe, would eliminate these conditions to a considerable degree.
If the material excavated is of such a nature that it
cannot be tamped satisfactorily, it should be removed and
the excavation should be tamped with sand. We believe
that if this practice is adopted and the city assumes the
duty of refilling and paving where openings are made, that
the injury to pavements will be reduced to a minimum.
The present pernicious practice of replacing pavements
temporarily to permit the settling of the ground, and leaving
them in impassable condition for considerable lengths of time
should be eliminated.
CONTRACTS
Contracts for paving are let to the "lowest and best"
bidder. The city reserves the right to reject any and all
bids. This year, we are informed by the Director of Pub-
MATERIALS
It is not the purpose of your committee to discuss the
comparative value of materials and the various methods
of paving construction, as we believe these to be engineering problems, which will be successfully solved by the city
engineer if he is given sufficient latitude in paving matters
and the opportunity to thoroughly familiarize himself with
conditions in this country and abroad. We, however, desire
to submit the following:
Cleveland is now requiring in all of its specifications concrete base under pavements. Under principal
streets this base is required to be six inches in thickness.
In certain sections of London, where traffic is heaviest, no
base is permitted of less than nine inches in thickness. The
concrete base represents the real backbone of the pavement.
If properly constructed it should serve as a base upon which
two or three successive pavements can be laid. If the life
of pavements in our down town section can be prolonged
by adding to their thickness, we believe that our engineers
should not hesitate to require more substantial construction.
Metal reinforcing has been used for a number of
years in the building trades. Undoubtedly such reinforcing
would materially strengthen the construction of concrete
base. We suggest that this method be given a trial and
careful statistics taken to determine its value.
To enable intelligent selection of proper pavements
to meet the various demands and conditions, traffic statistics should be compiled. Without definite knowledge of
this kind the decision upon the kind of paving to be used
becomes guess-work. It is generally admitted that the most
reliable measure of durability of road surfaces is the total
tonnage of traffic they will carry per unit before renewal
becomes necessary. The engineering department should
have full charge of this work and every facility should be
placed at its disposal to enable the gathering of such statistics as are necessary to enable the selection of proper paving material and the best kind of paving construction upon
an intelligent and scientific basis.
Asphalt used on streets containing car tracks,
speedily reaches a condition of disrepair.
that this material is not adapted for such use.
lie Service that in order to permit the contractors to do
work more economically and reduce the high cost to the
city, the city has been divided into sections and bids for
all new pavements within each section are submitted and
contracts let at one time. This is only an experiment, but
city officials believe that by this method, where it is possible for a contractor to be the successful bidder upon a
number of adjacent streets, the cost of moving equipment
great distances will be eliminated with the result that there
will be a saving to the city.
TESTING OF MATERIALS
Cleveland has a laboratory for testing street paving
material. We are informed that this laboratory has sufficient apparatus, and those in charge are thoroughly competent to properly test all materials except asphalt. -All
material for use in paving streets should be carefully tested.
Any saving that would in any way curtail this work is false
economy. We recommend that this department be brought
up to the highest state of efficiency and that sufficient apparatus be added to the present equipment to permit of
the proper testing of all material
means be found for providing the necessary expert assistance to make such tests.
one, and the interests of the community can only be conserved by means of a fully equipped laboratory for making
tests of all paving materials.
GUARANTEES
The city requires from the contractor that he guarantee the workmanship and materials furnished and used
in pavements for the following periods: Medina block 5
years; brick 3 years; asphalt 5 years; wood block 5 years.
Before the final estimate, or any previous estimate, at
the option of the chief engineer, is paid, there must be deposited by the contractor in bank, to the order of the city,
a sum of money equal to—Medina block l%c per sq. ft.;
brick l per sq. ft.; asphalt 10% of the bid, (about 2c
per sq. ft.) and wood block
This money is required to remain in pledge as a guarantee on the part of the contractor that the improvement
will remain in good and sound condition during the entire
period of the guarantee. If during this period the pavement requires repairs through settling of the foundation,
defective workmanship or materials, the contractor is required to make such repairs. If the contractor makes all
repairs and renewals necessary under his contract and
guarantee, and the pavement is in good and sound condition at the expiration of the guarantee, the amount of the
deposit, together with all accrued interest, less any expense
that the city may have incurred in connection with the contract, is returned to him.
There has been some criticism of the guarantee required upon street pavements, as it is claimed that the
guarantee is only in the nature of an insurance for which
the city pays full price, and that if the pavements were put
down under proper supervision the city could better afford
to assume the risk and make the necessary repairs. Your
committee does not believe that this system of demanding
guarantees should be abandoned. The term of years required in the guarantee is not excessive, with the possible
exception of that required upon Medina block which might
be reduced from five years to three. We would, however,
recommend the reduction of the amount of the deposit required per square foot, believing as we do that this deposit
is too large and may well result in the city paying too high
a price because of the requirement.
CITY CHARTER PROVISIONS AS TO PAVING
The City Charter provides that the Council "shall have
power by ordinance to provide for the construction, re-construction, repair and maintenance by contract or directly
by the employment of labor of all things in the nature of
local improvements, and to provide for the payment of
any part of the cost of any such improvement by levying and
collecting special assessments upon abutting, adjacent and
contiguous or other specially benefited property," and that
the Director or Public Service "shall have charge of the
construction, improvement, repair and maintenance of
streets."
In appropriating the cost of paving the city has the
right (a) to pay the whole cost of the original pavement
of any of its streets or for repairs thereon, or to provide
for the payment by special assessment on the abutting
property of all such cost of original improvements or re-
pairs except two per cent thereof plus the cost of intersections; (b) to pay either the whole cost of repaying of
any street or to provide for the whole of such cost by levying special assessments. But if prior assessment has been
made for such original improvement within fifteen years,
then no assessment can be made for replacement in excess
of 50% of the cost thereof. However, if more than fifteenyears have elapsed, then the whole cost of such replacement may be assessed on the abutting property except two
per cent thereof plus the cost of intersections.
It has been customary in the past for the city to pay
2% of the cost of new paving and all street intersections,
the property owners paying the balance. In repaying, the
city has paid 50% and the property owners 50% of the entire cost. Repairing has been done by the city from tax
moneys appropriated for street repair purposes by the
Council.
The legal steps necessary under the City Charter in
making special assessments are as follows:
The Council, by preliminary resolution, declares
the necessity for the improvement, setting forth the methof the assessment, the mode of payment, and the number
of annual installments.
This resolution is certified to the Director of
Finance, who makes a report showing the lots and lands
assessed and the amount assessed against each.
This report is filed with the Council and written
notice of the assessment is served by the Director of Finance upon each owner assessed.
The Board of Revision and Assessments, consisting of the Mayor, Director of Law, Director of Finance,
Director of Public Service, and President of the Council,
hold meetings for the purpose of hearing claims, complaints and objections to the assessment. The Board may
amend, equalize and adjust the assessment report, and reports its findings to the Council.
If it is determined to proceed, the Council then
passes an ordinance levying the assessment. The assessment is certified to the County Auditor, who places it upon
the tax duplicate. Property owners are required to pay
the assessments as stipulated in the ordinance. If the assessment is unpaid, it becomes a lien upon the property.
Special assessment bonds or street improvement
notes are issued in anticipation of the assessment.
The city may either enter into contract for the
improvement or do the work by direct labor.
STREET RAILWAY REQUIREMENTS
The Tayler Grant, under which the Cleveland Railway
Company operates, contains the following provision relative to pavements:
"Sec. 7. The company shall maintain in constant repair the pavement within a space seven
feet in width for single track and for double track
the entire space between the outer rails of both
tracks, including the space between the two tracks
and one foot outside of each outer rail, but in no
event to exceed 18 feet, except about curves, special
work and where there are more than two tracks
in a street,1 in all paved streets occupied by its
tracks, whether such streets were paved at the
time of the passage of this ordinance or subsequently thereto; but the company shall not be required to repave by virtue of this obligation to repair, nor by virtue of any requirement of the
general ordinances of the City of Cleveland during the continuance of this grant."
There is no expressed provision by which the railway company may be required to pave streets not already
paved. Section 3776 of the General Code, however, gives
councils the right to require paving between the rails under such circumstances.
Under the expressed terms of Sec. 7, the company
cannot be required to repave. This section is very general
in its terms. It does not recite as fully as most ordinances
of the kind the obligation of the street railway company,
but we believe the street railway company can be required
to repair the street between the tracks and one foot outside
of the outer rails. If the railway company fails to do so,
we believe the city could proceed with the work and could
recover from the railway company a reasonable cost of repairing the pavement.
The obligation of the company, however, only requires
that it keep the pavement which it is required to repair in
such condition as shall reasonably correspond to the pavement in the rest of the street.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
In view of the facts set forth in this report, your
committee submits the following recommendations and suggestions, which we believe, if consistently followed out,
will result, within a comparatively short time, in materially
improving the condition of our streets, lessen the cost of
upkeep, and assure their proper maintenance in the future.
1. The city should adopt a systematic program: (a)
for putting the streets in proper repair, and (b) for maintaining them in this condition.
To accomplish this purpose the streets should be classified according to their uses and environment; and materials,
construction and foundations should be standardized and
adapted to these classes. The city should be divided into sections and a sufficient force be placed in each section, under
the supervision of the city engineer, to assure a constant inspection of the pavements and prompt repairs wherever
needed.
2. When this program is adopted it should be financed
immediately by: (a) The issuance of bonds for all re-paving,
the bonds to mature in a period representing the estimated
life of the pavement, and (b) By appropriating from general
revenues as rapidly as possible the moneys required for re- "
pairing those streets which should be repaired rather than repaved.
In the committee's opinion (which we admit is based
upon inadequate information, because adequate information
is not obtainable from any source) the city's proportion of the
cost of placing in first class condition the system of streets
shown upon the accompanying map, together with those
down town streets which obviously should be included but
are not shown on the map because of limitation upon the size
of the map, would be from $1,500,000 to $2,000,000.
3. In view of the fact that so many miles of our streets
are occupied by street railway tracks and so great a proportion of the pavement on these streets is required to be maintained by the street railway company, the city government
should see that sufficient funds are provided in the operation
and maintenance fund of the street railway company and that
the street railway company fulfills all of its requirements
under the law and under the Tayler Grant.
All down town streets, main thoroughfares and a
system of important cross streets should be kept in first class
condition. Your committee submits with this report a map
showing the streets (except some of the down town streets)
that it believes might constitute the elements of the primary
paving program of the city.
Street repairing should be placed under the direction
of the Division of Engineering and Construction and the engineer should be given all consistent latitude in paving matters.
The City Engineer or a competent representative
should be sent abroad to study methods in the more important
British and European cities.
The Engineering Department should give special attention to the underground construction before pavements
are laid, and the requests for street openings should be carefully scrutinized in order that this injurious practice may be
reduced to a minimum.
The selection of inspectors should be made with the
greatest care, and conferences should be established for the
purpose of thoroughly instructing them in their duties.
A sufficient number of competent engineers should
be detailed to thoroughly check up the inspectors engaged on
all paving and repairing jobs.
An apprenticeship system should be adopted for the
purpose of developing labor, thereby assuring a sufficient number of men to do paving work.
A complete record of traffic statistics should be gathered in order that proper material may be used upon all
streets, and comparative statistics of the durability and adaptability of the various kinds of construction should be kept to
show their comparative value and enable their intelligent use
on streets of the different classes.
The thickness of concrete base should be given careful attention and the use of re-inforced concrete base should
be considered.
All back fillings and repairing of street openings
should be done by the city. Puddling should be abandoned
and proper tamping insisted upon.
Legislation should be enacted limiting weight of
load, width of tires, and the speed of heavily-loaded vehicles.
A program should be adopted for resurfacing with
bituminous concrete as an emergency measure, those streets
in need of repaving where it is necessary, within the next five
or six years to renew the underground structures such as water pipe, sewers, conduits, etc.
Concrete should not be used as a wearing surface unless better means have been devised for its preparation and it
has been thoroughly demonstrated to be a satisfactory surface.
The use of asphalt upon streets containing car tracks,
should be discontinued.
Respectfully submitted,
A. Lewenthal,Dean C. Mathews,
Edward J. Stone,F. H. Peters,
H. A. Adams,H. B. Prather,
Frank D. Bittinger, Joseph Ranft,
Frank C. Caine,W. C. Saunders,
H. B. Cody,E. A. Upstill,
Mark A. Copeland,J. H. Vanderveer,
G. B. Durell,J. W. Vanderwerf,
H. M. Farnsworth,
Municipal Committee.
April 18th, 1914
BOND STATEMENT (APRIL 8TH, 1914)
City Tax Duplicate
Total bonds that council may issue under the
Longworth Law
Council bonds outstanding- April 8, 1914 subject to
Council may still issue
Authorized by council but not issued
•City Hall
•Parks 250,000.00
•Infirmary
Intercepting Sewer 200,000.00
Grade Crossings 100,000.00
'Market House 75,000.00
*Pire 50,000.00
*Bath 40,000.00
'Street Opening 32,000.00
•East 65th St. fill 25,000.00
Council may still issue under Longworth limit..
Total bonds that may be issued bv referendum
(2J4%) of the duplicate
Bonds authorized by referendum—
Issued 3,794,000.00
Unissued 1,300,000.00
Remaining that may be issued by referendum..
Bonds outside of the Longworth Limit of 5% of
the duplicate, authorized but unissued—
Waterworks Filtration 2,500,000.00
Cuyahoga Improvement 1,200,000.00
$814,308,510.00
20,357,712.00
18,166,495.70
2,191,216.30
1,872,000.00
319,216.30
20,357,712.00
5,094,000.00
15,263,712.00
3,700,000.00
Recapitulation
Bonded Indebtedness—outstanding—
Council, within Longworth Law 18,166,495.70
Referendum, within Longworth Law 3,794,000.00
Prior to enactment of Longworth Law 13,444,000.08
Waterworks 3,324,842.65
Special assessments 2,743,717.87
State Board of Health 200,000.00
Bonds authorized and unissued—
By Council 1,872,000.00
By Referendum 1,300,000.00
For Filtration & Cuyahoga Improvement...3,700,000.00
Sinking Fund on hand to apply on bonded debt
Net Indebtedness if all bonds are sold
41,673,056.22
6,872,000.00
48,545,056.22
2,532,854.68
46,012,201.54
•Sold but not delivered.
CASE SCfiOCJJ. Of' Al-'rUti'--
APPORTIONMENT OF COST OF PAVEMENTS IN
FIFTY CITIES
50 ioo ioo 100 50 "i ioo 25
ioo
33
50
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
. 50 50 50 50 67 Montgomery .
.100
.100
100
100
Little Rock ...
San Francisco
Hartford .
New Haven ...
Arkansas
California
33 ioo 100 100 50 50 i 100 '25 100
50
33
50
100
100
100
100
100
Connecticut
Dist. CoiumbiaWashington
DelawareWilmington
50 67 50 100 100 ioo 50 67 50 100 100 100 100 100 75 IOO
GeorgiaAtlanta
10. 11. 12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
IllinoisPeoria 100
IndianaIndianapolis 100
IowaBurlington
KansasTopeka
KentuckyLouisville 100
25 ioo 100
100
100
MainePortland
MarylandBaltimore 100
100 .100 .100
.100
Massachusetts Springfield
Massachusetts Worcester .
100 ioo 50 ioo 100 100 100 '56 100 166 100 Michigan Minnesota Minnesota Missouri Missouri Nebraska
100
100
100
100
100
ioo
100
98
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
98
100
100
100
100
100
100
.100
.100
100 ioo 50 ioo "k ioo 50 * 100 » 100 ioo 50 100 50 100 100 N. Hampshire Manchester
t
100
100
New Jersey Newark . ..
New Jersey
New York
New York
New York
St. Louis ...
Omaha
.100
.100
.100
.100
.100
.100
.100
.100
. 98
.100
.100
.100
t
Brooklyn
Buffalo
New York New York New York Ohio Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Rhode Tsland S. Carolina S. Dakota Tennessee Utah Virginia Washington Wisconsin
Rochester . ...
Syracuse
Cincinnati . ..
Dayton
Portland
Harrisburg . ..
100
.100
.100
100
100
100 100 .100
50*
100
100 ioo 100 ioo
ioo
100 * 100
Salt Lake City.
Richmond
100
100
Milwaukee 100*
1 sq. yd. for each front foot; city remainder.
t
* City pays for street intersections.