The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-21

the oath be taken A hours before ths office. ss
 head clearance of twenty-two feet un der yiaducts. The city made it's greai concession when it was decided to uss five pre- cent grades on the approaches tU the Twenty-first street viaduct, thus increasing her desired maximum grad tent by twenty five per cent"
 This was done in order that the rail- | ways might obtain a clearance of 22 feet under the viaduct, when their main tracks were sufficiently elevated, at this point, to reach, by the use of their de- sired gradient, such an elevation at Twentieth street as to require very slight depressiOn of the street F 1t was determined by the city at that time that Twenty-first street was, and likely always would be, the main artery connecting the south side resi- dential section with the business dis trict That heavily loaded trucks could more conveniently use the other streets, which, would have lighter grades. .e. l assisted in the preparation of the plans for both the First avenue and the Twenty first street viaducts, and also took part in drawing the contracts ber tween the city and the various railways covering the same. I know of no con tract executed between the city and the railways providing for the carrying out of the remainder of the city's gen -eral plans for grade separation; a1- though, the railway officials were at that time familiar with these plans and 4e.. the negotiations, especially for the Twenty-first street yiaduct.
 Should Reduce Depression.
 I have not had the opportunity to examine thoroughly the detail grade separation plans prepared by the pres ent city engineer, but a cursory ex- animation iInpresses me as follows: That every detail has been carefully studied, and the interests of all parties considered. That the depression at Twentieth street crossing, of approxi- mately seven feet, as provided, is not advisable and should be reduced to four feet, or less, thus Tightening the grade on Twentieth street, simplifying the drainage problem and providing easy access to the freight yards and depots, and permitting the underpass to be located in the center of the street, in stead of on enc side as planned. In other words, elevate the tracks at Twentieth street to the maximum ele- vation obtainable- by the 6se of 21 or p feet clearance at the Twenty first street viaduct, and six-tenths of per cent grades on the railway tracks.
 II recognize as a fact, that the city nneIrgoau rfn l. sions in hopes of removing the rail- ways objections, but I feel that Sby so doing, the public would be made to suffer unduly. What has been said above applies to a greater or less ex- tent to the crossings at Fourteenth and Eighteenth streets, I believe that the general plans could be so revised as to lessen the work necessary to be done at this time, The plans for the Iwenty-fourth viaduet should be drawn. This IS destined to be very heavy traffic street, since it is the only through street to which the.scity has been able, so far, to establish undis- puted title between, Twenty second and Thirty-second streets. The grades on the approaches should not exceed 4 per cent, instead of the per cent provided.
 Found xmpracticable Long Ago.
 The plans for grade separation sub. mitted by the Chamber of Commerce are, in my opinion, not worthy of con sideration. The idea of depressing the tracks any appreciable amount, was gone into and found to be impractical p or 30 years ago. All the water flowing from the territory bounded on the east by Twenty-ninth street tap proximately) on the souIa by the top of Red mountain, and on the north by the railway reservation must be con veyed across the railway reservation. can imagine the great drainage problem that would be encountered when it is recalled that the average fall of Valley creek from Birmingham to Bessemer is approximately two feet per thousand. The narrow viaducts with 6 per cent grades on the ap- breaches would practically close the streets to heavy traffic, since apprOxi- mately, twice as much power is re- Guired to haul given load over 6 Ter cent grade as would be required to haul the same load on level grade.
 If there were no other objection, the consequential damages would render the plans pFohibitive. I believe that the. city should share in the cost of any plan, agreed upon, to what extent should be determined largely by the adaptability of the plans to the pres ent and future public needs.
 On the First avenue Viaduct, the city paid 30 per cent of the. cost, being largely influenced to do so by the fact that the viaduct extended to the east more than two and one-half blocks be- yond the railway rights of way.
 -,3s City's Part Of Costs.
 The city paid 20 per cent of the cost of the Twenty-first street viaduet, ce- ing largely influenced to do so by the fact that the city owned only the narrow right of way occupied by the old viaduct, while it was the city's de- sire to construct the new yiaduct the full width of the street It may be of general interest to note, that the elimination of grade crossings in De trOit has been in progress since 1901, re- sulting in the elimination of 49 grade crossings, and that during 1923 and 1924 the city entered into contracts with the Grand Trunk railway for the elimination of grade crossings over a fnraarfh F.e ufw sxe .a.