The water today wasn't so bad as it is after a heavy rain, but it was enough to force a man on a motorized scooter into busy Lake Avenue this afternoon. The man, a resident of nearby Walden Oaks, makes the trip several days a week to 3 Brothers Restaurant, on the corner of Lake Avenue and Route 47.
When water is standing on the sidewalk, as it was in this photo at 5:30PM, he must operate his scooter in the street rather than through the water.
An added danger to street operation is the crown of the roadway, which forces the scooter operator to venture further into the traffic lane, instead of being able to ride near the shoulder.
The City has known about this sidewalk problem for years. How much longer will it take to modify the sidewalk elevation? It's probably about a three-hour job for two men with a front-loader and a truck fulled of dirt and gravel. Of course, with Federal, State, County, Township, City and insurance requirements and regulations, it's probably a $10,000 job, instead of less than $500.
12 comments:
A three hour job for two men with a front loader and a truck fulled of dirt and gravel huh? I'm sure Public works will get right on it after they complete the experiment where you take a five gallon bucket full of water and fill it full of dirt and gravel to make the water "disappear". Try it yourself it works great!
I forgot about the water displacement. That'll take $25,000 or more for an environmental study, EPA and IEPA approvals (make that $50,000), drains, etc.
Maybe the City Council could just order "No more rain" over the Rec Center...
Hey, why dont you focus on the fraudulent 3 Brothers Restaurant sign? It ain't run by 3 brothers... it's a bro and sis operating it last time I was in there.
Sic'm Gusomundo! Doh!
Seriously. You make the noise now what is your "simple" solution?
I'll stand on my suggestion for two men, a front-loader and some rocks and dirt. Just raise the sidewalk to level.
Raising the sidewalk to a higher level requires either mud-jacking the sidewalk up, or replacing the sidewalk. Any more dirt and gravel added there places it further underwater. In fact, the simplest solution would be to remove all the displacement caused by all the gravel already there.
We had a LOT of rain. And yes, probably would require a $10,000 - $15,000 "solution".
Question is, do we need to spend that much to alleviate a one-day or occaisional inconvenience to any one person?
Simple solutions from simple minds. I'll make it even cheaper. I'll provide the front end loader and the gravel. Let me know when you have that three foot wide four inch thick continuous poured sidewalk rolled up and out of the way and I'll be there.
DBTR (12:01AM comment), thanks. Actually, I was thinking that dirt & gravel would go under the existing sidewalk slabs ... : )
The water barrier affects more than one pedestrian and scooter user, and in a heavy rain the water backs up to the point at which I took the photo.
Yet, to be "perfect" will require $10-$15K.
You and I cannot afford "perfect".
Every so often, sh*t happens, and you deal.
What if there were a tornado?
Recently the City scarfed up $250,000 to put sidewalks on BOTH sides of Dean Street to protect our dear little darling school children while they walk to school. The problem? Do any kids still walk to school?
A sidewalk on one side of the street would have been plenty. Even striping the large parking/bike zone south of Kimball would have been enough. I don't think I have ever seen a school kid walking there.
$250,000??? Why not just one side of the street?
Try this. Go by this location any day around noon. The guy on the scooter rides on Lake Avenue EVERY DAY!
You're sure right about this man, or others, in the street. I stopped one day when his scooter had quit in the street. Tried to assist him to the sidewalk, but he refused. I called WPD to assist him. Imagine he didn't appreciate it.
The police should see that he uses the sidewalk and stays out of the street. Not sure when they have ever contacted him or how they handle it.
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