The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-21
RECENT VIADUCT PLANS MISTAKE
 SAYS KENDRICK
Drainage Problem Makes Track Depression Out
 Of The Question

Julian Kendrick, for many years city engineer of Birmingham, who has long made study of the grade crossing problem and who assisted in construc- tion of both the First avenue and Twen. ty-first street viaducts, thinks the place for grade separation recently submitted by the Chamber of Commerce are not worthy, of consideration. He declares the idea of depressing the railroad tracks any appreciable amount, was gone into and found to be impracticable 25sor 30 years ago.
 Mr. Kendrick not only insists under passes should be built at Twentieth street, Eighteenth and Fourteenth streets but cites the recent arrange ment between the city of Detroit and the Grand Trunk railway as worthy of consideration by Birnhingharh. MT. Kendrick in fcxmal statement on the subject writes
 Three Main Interests.
 srIn the design of grade separation plans the three main interests to be considered are those of (1) the public i; t2J the railways: (3) the property owners; l4) the cost also is a determ- ming factor.
 .9sT. The public has the right to de- nIand thoroughfares of sufficient widths to- care for the present and future traffic, without unnecessary con rstion, and with gradients sufficiently light to permit the convenient passage of pe- destrians, and all classes of vehicles, ineludin gthe heaviest loaded trucks, with minimum chance of. accident.
 "2. The railways have the right to demand that light gradients be used on their main line tracks, if possible, not exceeding the maximum gradient adopt ed by them for the district, That the gradients of their secondary tracks be not too steep for practical operation. That proper overhead clearance be pro- yided whenever Eiadncts are constructed over thGir tracks. That convenient in- gtess and egress be provided to and from their depots, local freight track, etc.s
 rS. The owners of property abut- ting on the portions of the highways. where present conditions are to be al- tered in order to accomplish the grade separation, have the right to demand that their property, after the improve ments are completed, shah enjoy equal ly as advantageous conditions with reference to. the highway, as it former ly enjoyed, or Chat just compensation be made tosthem. The right to recover for damage t0 propefty might extend to the owners of other property, not abut- ting on the portion of the highway al- tered, provided, conditions for traffic were damaged rather than bettered by the Alterations.
 4. The cost may. prevent the adop- tion of the ideal plan or, of even a modified ideal plan, but in determining the amount, permissible to be expended, It should be remembered that the decis- ion made is to control conditions for all time to come and if necessary, great peeuniary sacrifices should be made, or the execution of all-oE portion of the project postponed until such time that it can be finished.
 Demands Concessions.
 '9hs final solution of a problem of such magnitude as this, and especially. So where 50 many interests are in- vOlfed, is likely to demand concessions by all Interested parties. The city (the puRlic) early in the cnsideration of grs1e separation plans from Fourteenth street to Twenty-fourth street, inclu- siYe, determined on a niaximum grad ient of four per cent, as permissible on any viaduct or depressed street, and less where ever obtainables with a mini mum clearance of fourteen feet at uH- def passes. The railways insisted on a maximum grade for their tracks of sixstenths of one per cent and an over