The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-04
CHAMBER PLANS
 TO QUIT FIGHT
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 give relief in case the sewer system is inadequate.
 The specific objections to the un- derpass plan are: First, it fails to full ly solve the problem at any street, in that it forces vehicles to cross rail- road tracks at grade on Powell aye nue and Avenue "A" after emerging from the underpass. The plan is, therefore, only a partial one and in- creases the danger of crossing the tracks southeast of the underpass Automobiles going southeast would naturally speed into the underpass in order to make the grade on the other side and thus dart out on to Powell avenue tracks. The solution of such a problem should be complete and permanent. No one knows what the future railroad traffic will be along Powell avenue and Avenue "A. Travel should either so under or over all the tracks in the railroad area.
 2. The underpass plan contemplates building a masonry wall Il feet high across Twentieth street. This will forever mar the view on the most prom ineft street in the city.
 8. The elevation of the main line tracks incident to the underpass plan forces the railroads to incur great ex- pense and marked difficulties in oper- ating service tracks along Morris and Powell avenue. Grade imposed on the L.. and N. in such service ar as much as one and one-quarter per cent, While those on the Southern are greater. The track elevation in this plan pre- vents building viaducts in the fnture at Seventeenth, Sixteenth and tlrteen- tn streets, and the service tracks lead- ing down to the wholesale houses' etc. on Morris avenue prevent future under masses on the same streets. This ob- streets are forever blocked by tnls lection is considered serious. These plan. 5
 4th. Initial cost, exclusive of property damage. is about S1, ,OO0, 900 more than in the yiaduct plan. It will be neces- sary to undertake the work from Tenth to Twenty fourth street at one time and incur at one time the entire cost of the project estimated by the railroads $2,250. 0.000.O0.
 lst, Six rer cent grades for about 25O feet on the north approach to viaducts. Birmingham is city of steep gradients, six per cent grades anu u1kucI dIC NOAAAAOA AAAN S-~S E-N pelled vehicles by changing gear can easily manipulate them. The greater number of vehicles are passenger ve- hicles, the industrial growth of 'Bir- mingham being to the northwest, while the southeast and southwest territory is largely residential.
 2nd. A one per cent grade on main line tracks from Twentieth street to Twenty eighth street as at present worked out. "A cut of six feet at the top of the grade at Twenty-ei3hth street would reproduce between that street and Twentieth street the same grade as the railroad now has. The result of such a cut from a service standpoint has not been worked out. but it is thought to be possible. The present imposed situation is, therefore remediable.
 3rd. Property damage. How much, if any, such damage will exceed the excess cost of the underpass plan is not known. Property holders sometimes give tongue before they know whether they will be damaged or not. The amount of the damage can be ascer-