The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29
stead Of 80 feet, the 6o-foot lot owner saves

stead Of 80 feet, the 6O-foot lot owner saves
s30.42. In the eighth ward there are 81
miles Of streets. By paving streets OF that |
SAT-, $50 is saved. The thirteenth ward
has 1913 miles Of streets and the saving
here would be $865,920, or a total in these
two wards Of $1,337, 900. The difference
between the paved surface Of the eighth
and thirteenth wards by making a paved
roadway "a feet wide instead OF 30 feet
wide amounts to about 140 acres. Think
for a moment Of the unwisdom Of paving
147 acres more than are needed In these
two wards. That extra surface must be
kept clean or it would continually ac-
cumulate dust and disease germs to be
blown hither and thither turnout the
wards. Why should taxpayers of these
wards pay nearly million and a half of
dollars for something which Is not neces-
sary?
What Other Cities say7
! The following replies regarding the
width of roadway have been received In
response to a letter to the city engineers
Of the cities referred to below:
Rochester, N. we find the width Of
twenty-sx feet is sufficient for any ordi-
nary case in the residence streets, or even
for cross streets in the downtown Sec
ton. .a
Cleveland, Ohio-On residence streets we
have curbed some to a width OF twenty
four feet, but make tWenty-eight feet the
minimum where it is necessary to turn
around. With q city laid out in regular
blocks, do not think width Of twenty
four feet is too small on residence streets.
Our own downtown streets are from fifty
to sixty feet between curbs.
Winnipeg-We find twenty four feet
quite enough for the residence streets;
there appears to be no difficulty in turn
ing on twenty-four feet. The most pop
ular pavement here is asphalt
| Detroit-The width Of pavement on the
| average residence streets in this city is
| twenty-six feet; provided there is no street
car track in the street.
|. Buffalo, N. Y.-Our pavements are from
twenty-four to sixty feet in width. In
repaving, we have both widened and mar
rowed pavements, according to demands
of traffic It is difficult to say what the
width of pavement in unfmportant resi-
dence streets should be-, as 1t so largely
| is a matter of local sentiment. / think
we have more pavements of twenty eight
), to thirty feet wide in residence districts
/ than Of twenty-six or thirty-six. We
have over 100000 yards Of asphalt.
100000 yards stone and 100000 yards
brick
Toronto-Nearly all residential streets
| in this city are tWenty-four feet between
/ curbs and there are Sa few from eighteen
to twenty one feetiswide, but am of the
opinion that streets should not be made
less than twenty four feet in width. The
] citizens appear to be satisfied with road
i ways atwenty-fo four feet In width and the
reduction In first COST and also mainte-
/ nance is considerabl e.9s The most popular
paving material In this city Is asphalt.
rs Toledo--Our pavements for residence
Istreets usually are twenty-five, twenty
four or twenty six feet WIDE My choice
being tWentysix feet wide where there
are no car tracks In the business por-
ton the widths vary from thirty to fifty
feet
| II Columbus, Ohio-Asfew residence streets
lsoetween fifty and sixty feet wide have
Ebeen improved with iwenty-six and even
twenty four feet <roadways; upon resi-
Edence streets which are not thorofares
1.-The narrowing of the roadway does not
seems to be Objectionable.
i Marrow Paving Not Narrow Streets.
II one has not studied this subject and
| observed the use and effect Of narrower
roadways in other cities than he is &C.
customed to in this, he jumps to the con.
clusdon that twenty -four feet Is too mar
row. Streets ought to be paved accord.
ing to their requirements. Sidewalks are
wide down town where needed, narrow
where width is not required Why should
not the same principle govern in paving;
Many people confound the width of paw
ing with the width Of the street The
3 width of a street in appearance Is deter
mined by the sidewalk and tree line ant
not by the curb line. The writer wa!
not in favor Of narrow streets but he Ii
an advocate Of no more paving than is
necessary to accommodate travel. Who
can question the statement that narrowe l
paving and wider boulevards will improv
the beauty Of the city and render the por
ton thus improved more attractive ant
valuable?
If for instance the eighth ward was nov
all improved with we'll paved and finished
streets, and by some law no other ware
could ever have anything but dirt roads
, what an influx to this section would en-
| sue, and how values would advance in tn.
) eighth and decrease in the other wards
!, Who can doubt that the expense. of paw
ing adds more value than the cost? T,
, pave a block 300 feet long and twenty
four feet wide costs about $780, or $50
? for each side Of the street, or 1898 TO
> each ffty-foot lot. Is it reasonable t.
! suppose that those twelve homes are no
I increased in salable value more thai
!. 81 800, to say nothing Of the pleasure
of living in a cleaner, handsomer an
healthier neighborhood? A letter re
ceived from the city engineer of Gran
Rapids, Mich, states that it is difficult t
4 dispose of property at all unless situate
upon an improved street. It would be S
in Minneapolis and the section that frs
n --------.-