The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-04
CHAMBER PLANS
 TO QUIT FIGHT
 FOR CROSSINGS
Will Withdraw If Plans Submitted By Sibert
 Are Rejected
ENGINEERS REPORT
 GIVEN IN DETAIL
Special Committee Balks At Controversy, Legal
 Or Otherwise

If the city commission re- fuses at a conference with the railroads September 10, to ac- cept the grade separation plans drawn by Gen. W. L. Sibert, the special viaduct committee of the Chamber of Commerce will officially with draw from the controversy. <
 This was m a de pl a i n Wednesday in a statement by R. A. Porter, a member of the special committee, who gave out at the same time a lengthy report by General Sibert, in which the engineer explains his stand on the question and reiterates that viaducts pro- vide the proper solution.
 Thes report read by members of the commission, failed to effect their stand, it is said. The body has apparently swung to underpasses and from the sentiment expressed at the city hall Wednesday afternoon, they will hold that attitude unrelentingly.
 To Meet Thursday
 The commission, however, will meet Thursday morning at l o'clock to fin- aiiy determine their alignment on the question. At this time General Sibert's report will be taken up in detail with A. J Hawkins, city engineer, who, it is understood has some adverse criti- cism to make, scheduled to appear.
 In giving out the report prepared by General Sibert Mir. Porter said:.
 "When we entered the grade cross ing separation question we did it as a third party hoping to bring about some feasible agreement between the city and railroads. To obtain man who would inspire confidence on both sides we retained General Sibert and when his plans were presented at q conference of the commissioners and railroad heads We honestly felt that an agreement had been reached, But there seems to have been considerable talk since then.
 '"rhe Chamber will not follow either party into a controversy of any kind, legal or otherwise, and if no agree meht can be reached we will withdraw " from the matter"
 General Sibert's report follows;
 The grade separation problem at Bir- mingham is unusual, ill that it is not q question of passing vehicular traffic over or under two or more tracks, but over or under tracks for distance of two blocks between Morris avenue to Avenue "A"
 If the railroad tracks to be crossed in this distance could be either raised enough for vehicular traffic to pass under them, with grades not exceeding three per cent, or lowered enough for such traffic to pass over them with a similar grade, an ideal solution would result in either case. hs
 When railroad systems and a great city have grown up together and whole sale houses, cold storage and manu- featuring plants have accommodated themselves to existing grade elevations, the separation of street and railroad grades is serious matter and academic discussion as to the relative energy of three and six per cent grades are not in order.
 Elevates Tracks ii Feet
 The proposed underpass plan contem- plates raising the main line railroad tracks Il feet at Twentieth strete, holding them up until Fourteenth street is passed and constructing underpasses beneath such tracks at Twentieth, Eighteenth and Fourteenth streets.
 The viaduct, plan contemplates lower ing such tracks. 2 feet at Twentieth street, keeping them down three and One-half feet at Eighteenth street, and building viaducts at Fourteenth, Eigh- teenth, Twentieth and Twenty-fourth streets with approximately six per cent grades on the north approaches to such viaducts. The Twentieth street via ducr starts at Morris avenue. The others at First avenue. By starting further north, these grades could be reduced. In this plan no obstacle is created that would prevent viaducts at Nineteenth, Seventeenth, Sixteenth and Fifteenth streets.
 Caring For Drainage
 The drainage problem is the same in the two plans. In the underpass plan the street is depressed about seven feet WUlIc HI thC fA0ouCl Rlan luC IullIOAu tracks are depressed seven feet. It will be easier to control the water in the viaduct plan than in the under pass plan. The walls holding up the railroad cut can be built high enough to keep all the water out of such cut, except that falling in it.
 Unless the storm sewers can carry off the storm water, the entire under pass plan and 30 much of the viaduct plan as concerns Twentieth street should not be built until the storm sewers are reconstructed. The storm capacity of the sewers is not known, however, instances of an accumulation of storm water near Twentieth street have been reported. Such a condition would fill an underpass with water. In the viaduct plan the work at Eight eenth, Twenty fourth and Fourteenth streets can go forward immediately and
 fCnu%luun6 nm pa1a Tunl