USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1941 > Part 14
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The Adams Road Hone was used to shape up, crown and slope sections or entire lengths of eleven streets, and on twelve other streets it was necessary to scarify, grade and roll rough and uneven street surfaces.
On many outlying streets, brush and small trees had encroached on space normally occupied by sidewalks, reducing visibility and acting as a contributing cause of automobile accidents. Cutting and removal of brush in these sections was carried on extensively during the year, and on many different streets.
During the "Rid Reading of Ragweed Campaign", sponsored by the Reading Woman's Club, conducted in an effort to exterminate this nox- ious plant within the environs of Reading, Department trucks, drivers and helpers collected, and disposed of by burning at the John Street Dump, some 3,000 bushels of ragweed.
The planking of Mineral Street Rail Road bridge, which was in very poor repair, was re-fastened, and new pieces of composition as- phaltic felt planking installed, where required. The guard railings were also repaired and painted.
New guard rail posts were set on several streets, and a number of guard posts in various sections painted.
Chapter 90 Construction
After a two-year lapse (1939-1940) Chapter 90 State, County and Town roadway construction funds were again allocated to Reading. By means of these funds, sections of Lowell Street and Charles Street
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were constructed with a permanent type of pavement.
On Lowell Street, from the end of the 1938 Chapter 90 construc- tion at High Street to a point near Grand Street, a penolithic penetra- tion surfaced roadway was constructed. This section of roadway re- quired the installation of some 1800 lineal feet of storm-water drainage, and in the course of installation it was necessary to excavate nearly 400 cubic yards of trench ledge. Roadway ledge excavation totaled 447 cubic yards of ledge removed, and these two factors, trench ledge and roadway ledge, were instrumental in causing roadway surface con- struction to fall short of the amount originally estimated, through lack of sufficient funds. Departmental employees and equipment were used exclusively in this construction, and was augmented by the use of the new gasoline-motored Bay City power shovel purchased for excavation of the Quannapowitt Drainage System, and which was not in use on the drain project at the time. With two shovels available, one was used in the gravel pit for filling trucks for gravel borrow operations, while the other was used in roadway excavation. Granite curbing installation was included in this construction, and some 290 lineal feet was set. Guard rail posts and cables also were installed in required locations, as were directional traffic signs. Underground traffic signal conduits were installed at the intersection of Lowell and High Streets prior to street surfacing.
Charles Street, from Main Street to slightly Northeast of Pearl Street, was also constructed with a penolithic penetration surface. On this location, a W.P.A. Farm and Market Road Project, a more par- ticular description of which appears elsewhere in this report, had partially prepared the locus for permanent paving, with earth and gravel borrow, drainage, and culverts partially completed. Charles Street was relocated by the County Commissioners, and the grade was changed by the Board of Public Works in 1940, in preparation for Chapter 90 construction. The grade in two low sections was raised appreciably, and a cement box culvert constructed at Memorial Park Brook. Additional storm water drainage, including catch basins and manholes, was installed, excavation and gravel borrow accomplished, and the stone surfacing installed. It was necessary to remove a num- ber of trees from the roadside, and near Main Street, on the North- westerly side of Charles Street, a protruding ledge was removed and a field stone masonry retaining wall 111 feet in length and from 4 feet to 7 feet in height was erected. At the intersection of Charles and Pearl Streets, wide approaches were made possible by the relocation, which necessitated the removal of several large trees. Individual guard posts were set at danger points, and traffic caution signs set at inter- sections.
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Charles Street Farm and Market Project
Work on this project, intended primarily as a W.P.A. project, started December 26, 1940. During the early months of the year, oper- ations were for the most part confined to setting back and rebuilding stone walls on new street lines, excavating earth roadway-bankings with the Department's Erie steam shovel, trench excavation and storm- water drainage installation, etc. Gravel borrow was hauled from the Town pit to raise the grade of low-lying sections, and rough-graded with the bulldozer. Later in the year, early in March, work was started on a concrete box culvert at Memorial Park Brook; also on cement stone masonry head-walls on a metal arch culvert Northeasterly of Pearl Street. The box culvert was completed by W.P.A. and town forces, and the metal arch culvert by town forces only.
Later in the summer, and prior to Charles Street Chapter 90 Con- struction, two sections of Charles Street was scarified, shaped and graded by department forces, and penetrated with road oil.
Chapter 90 Maintenance
Roadway maintenance was accomplished on several main-traveled streets from Chapter 90 maintenance funds. On Haverhill Street, a section of sunken roadway on a curve was gravel-filled to grade and asphalt sealed. Several guard rail posts, broken by automobiles, were removed and renewed and cable rails restrung. Guard rail posts on Haverhill Street were also freshly painted. On Salem Street, stone patches were installed in raveled sections of pavement, brush was cut from roadside, and guard rail posts painted.
Part of a stone retaining wall in a ditch on Lowell Street at Inter- vale Terrace was rebuilt, guard rail posts repainted, and stone patches installed. A new catch basin was installed on West Street at County Road, stone patches installed, and traffic warning signs procured and set at locations near hazardous curves. On Woburn Street, two pieces of granite curb were removed and a metal curb inlet set. Stone patches were installed, and joints sealed with asphalt. On Main Street, joints between concrete slabs were filled with an asphalt joint filler.
Chapter 83 Construction
The following table defines streets accepted as public town ways under the provisions of Chapter 83, Section 26, General Laws, which statute authorizes the assessment of betterments for road construction, at the Annual Town Meeting :
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STREETS ACCEPTED AS PUBLIC WAYS Annual Town Meeting-March 14, 1941
Name of Street
Location-Boundaries
Length Feet Status
Coolidge Road (portion)
Wescroft Road northerly to
280.00
Bett.
Springvale Road
Coolidge Road southwesterly to Overlook Road
1120.00
Bett.
County Road
Howard Street southerly to
Lewis Street Extension
263.47
Bett.
Pilgrim Road
Lowell Street southwesterly to Bradford Road
467.50
Bett.
Bond Street
Northerly end accepted to High Street at Lowell Street
489.39
Beit.
West Hill Circle
West Street southerly, east and northerly to West Street
579.11
Bett.
Wescroft Road
West Street southwesterly to
County Road
1639.93
Bett.
Total 4839.40
Of these accepted streets, Coolidge Road and Pilgrim Road only have been completed; Springvale Road, Wescroft Road, County Road and Bond Street are in various partially completed stages of construc- tion, and West Hill Circle has not as yet received any particular atten- tion. These uncompleted streets will be constructed in 1942.
The unfinished streets, with the exception of West Hill Circle, have been excavated, gravel filled, and surface treated in part, to make the streets accessible for owners of new homes located thereon. On sev- eral of these streets, prior to roadway construction, it was necessary to install varying amounts of storm water drainage.
All work on these streets was accomplished with Departmental employees and equipment. On the completed streets, and the com- pleted portions of unfinished streets, sidewalks were built of gravel and stone dust and tree lawns loamed and seeded. Also on each street, at its intersection with other streets, granite radius curbing was in- stalled, including a traffic island or intersection park at the intersec- tion of Wescroft and Coolidge Roads.
Alterations and Relocations
Four relocations or alterations were voted at the annual March Town Meeting and one relocation voted at a Special Town Meeting, as follows :
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Springvale Road
STREETS RELOCATED OR ALTERED Annual Town Meeting-March 14, 1941
High and Green Streets-Alteration or relocation of Southeasterly
corner
Prescott and -Alteration or relocation of Southeasterly
Washington Streets corner
John and Union Streets-Alteration or relocation of Southeasterly
corner
Bancroft Avenue and -Alteration of Intersection
Highland Street
Special Town Meeting-September 15, 1941
Manning Street -Relocation of Easterly street line, Pleasant Street to Salem Street
On all but one of these alterations or relocations, owners of abut- ting properties gave portions of their lands gratis, on one a small con- sideration was paid. All of these relocations have been made and construction completed.
The alteration corner High and Green Streets was brought about by the demolition of an existing old building and the construction of a new gasoline filling station, and added much to the appearance of the neighborhood.
A particularly sharp, narrow and dangerous turn was abolished by the Prescott-Washington Street alteration. In this instance, a square corner was generously rounded, an existing hedge and tree moved back of the new street line and reset, a granolithic sidewalk installed on the Prescott Street frontage, and a granite curb set at the side- walk edge. This intersection has long been a danger point for vehi- cular traffic, with hedges and buildings obscuring vision at a narrow "bottle-neck" on Washington Street at an acute angle in Washington Street.
At the intersection of Bancroft Avenue and Highland Street, oppo- site Auburn Street, a particularly dangerous condition existed, which has long been the cause of many minor traffic accidents. In this loca- tion, a sharp corner and a high hedge both obscured the approaches to each of the three streets affected and also was a difficult corner to negotiate in an automobile. This corner was rounded, cut back ap- proximately twenty feet, and the high hedge removed. Granite radius curbing was set on the relocation lines and a new gravel sidewalk constructed.
The corner of John and Union Streets, also a difficult corner for traffic to negotiate, was rounded on a curve of generous radius, and curbing set.
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The relocation of the Easterly side-line of Manning Street was occasioned by the construction of a granolithic sidewalk abutting four adjoining parcels of land on the easterly side of Manning Street. As this street was laid out but 33 feet in width, and several large shade trees were present in the location of the sidewalk, the property owners affected deeded the Town a strip of land one foot in width the entire length of the street, so as to enable the construction of a sidewalk of normal width.
The relocation of the Southwesterly side line of West Street fromn Northwesterly of Longwood Road to near West Hill Circle, a holdover project from 1941, has been furthered somewhat, but has not yet been completed. This location is solid ledge, and will require further drill- ing and blasting to completely remove.
Granolithic Sidewalks
Granolithic sidewalk construction in 1941 resulted in the installa- tion of 3,606.84 square yards of granolithic sidewalks on a total front- age of 5,393.12 lineal feet, abutting 68 separate properties. These to- tals include 1,596.23 square yards of sidewalks on a frontage of 2,647.02 feet abutting 37 separate properties installed on application of indi- vidual property owners under the terms of the Betterment Act, whereby the property owner pays one-half the cost of the sidewalk; 1,994.91 square yards of sidewalks on a frontage of 2,731.70 feet abutting 31 separate properties installed by order of the Board of Public Works as a necessary public improvement and on which the owners also were assessed one-half the cost of construction; and 15.70 square yards of granolithic sidewalk on a frontage of 14.30 feet abutting municipal properties and as repairs. These sidewalks varied in width from 4.5 feet to 6.0 feet. On several streets, namely Belmont Street, Gardner Road, Grand Street and Manning Street abutting property owners applied en masse for sidewalks, resulting in long unbroken stretches of granolithic sidewalks. On one location it was necessary to erect a low retaining wall 111 feet in length before the sidewalk could be constructed.
It was necessary in several instances to repair existing granolithic sidewalk surfaces ruptured by tree roots, removal of trees and poles, etc. Where necessary, failed sections of sidewalks were removed and new sections poured.
There are on file a number of applications for granolithic sidewalk construction received from property owners in 1941 but not installed due to lack of sufficient funds. These will receive priority in 1942 side- walk construction.
The following table illustrates granolithic sidewalk construction in 1941:
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Granolithic Sidewalk Construction By Streets
Street
Number Lots
Feet Frontage
Square Yards
Auburn Street
1
97.00
54.28
Bancroft Avenue
1
65.10
42.57
Belmont Street
5
385.40
214.12
Federal Street
3
189.20
113.42
Gardner Road
11
677.62
453.2S
Grand Street
6
479.60
275.56
Lowell Street
11
924.10
756.28
Manning Street
4
284.20
162.31
Mt. Vernon Street
1
66.70
39.28
Parkview Road
1
75.70
64.39
Pearl Street
1
160.70
85.82
Pinevale Avenue
1
51.00
30.98
Pleasant Street
1
111.00
63.35
Prescott Street
19
1,618.60
1,152.14
Priscilla Road
1
110.00
60.44
Weston Road
1
97.20
38.62
Totals
68
5,393.12
3,606.84-
Stone Dust Sidewalks
Maintenance of gravel or earth sidewalks by means of surface treatments with stone dust started early in April and continued through November, with a total of 188.65 tons of stonedust applied to 4,599.70 square yards of gravel or earth sidewalks abutting 63 separate proper- ties on a total frontage of 6,034.00 lineal feet. The majority of these applications were made on request of property owners to at least tem- porarily improve sidewalks abutting their properties. As limited funds will allow only a comparatively small amount of stonedust applications to be made each year, requests are listed as received and given atten- tion in numerical sequence. Stonedust was also applied to sidewalks on all street betterments and relocations, but is not included in the above totals.
Gravel Sidewalks
Gravel sidewalks were constructed abutting 28 separated properties on a total frontage of 2,089.0 lineal feet, covering 1,186.0 square yards of sidewalks. These installations were installed abutting newly constructed houses for the most part, where formerly no sidewalks existed. Tree lawns on most locations where gravel sidewalks were constructed were loamed, fertilized and seeded.
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Granite Curbing
New granite curbing installations in 1941 totaled 2064.23 lineal feet, of which 1207.54 feet was straight curb and 856.69 feet radius or circle curb. Curbings were installed on applications of abutting property owners under the Betterment Act at 22 different locations, and 37 drive- way returns set.
Not included in the above totals, used and reclaimed straight and radius granite curbing was set in several locations, made necessary by changes in street lines, granolithic sidewalk construction, and storm water drainage construction.
The following table illustrates new granite curbing installations, by streets, in 1941:
Granite Curbing Installation By Streets
Number Feet Lots Straight
Curbing Radius
Installed Total Returns Length
Bancroft Avenue
1
50.70
2
50.70
Federal Street
3 145.50
6
145.50
Grand Street
5
305.30
10
305.30
Green Street
6
179.30
12
179.30
John Street
1
32.90
1
32.90
Mt. Vernon Street
1
48.90
1
48.90
Parkview Road
. .
1
61.30
19.80
81.10
Priscilla Road
1
94.00
2
94.00
Summer Avenue . .
1
65.80
25.00
90.80
Temple Street . .
1
113.00
1 113.00
Weston Road
1
68.60
19.80
2
88.40
Wescroft Road
42.24
87.00
129.24
Pilgrim Road
88.00
88.00
County Road
41.45
41.45
Springvale Road ..
88.00
88.00
Prescott Street
. .
46.00
46.00
Highland Street ...
66.10
66.10
Coolidge Road
194.84
194.84
Bond Street
114.70
114.70
Puritan Road
66.00
66.00
Totals
22
1,207.54
856.69
37
2,064.23
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178
In Wescroft Park, radius and straight curbing was set to outline a traffic island at the wide intersection of Coolidge Road with Wescroft Road. This is the first installation of its type in Reading, and presents quite an attractive appearance. The area within the curbing was loam- ed and seeded.
Granite radius curbing was set on all street betterment construc- tion in 1941, at their intersection with other streets. New radius curb- ing was also set on several betterment curbing locations, at no charge to the abuttor. Radius curbing was also set to define new street lines on the four corner relocations made in 1941.
Bound Stones
Bound points were set as required by law to define street lines on accepted streets, relocations and alterations, and to replace bounds dis- turbed by construction of various types. The following table describes the bounds set or reset in 1941 :
Bound Stones Set
Street and Location
No. Set
Reason Set
Prescott and Washington Sts.
2 Relocation of south-west corner
Grand St.
1 Replacing old angle bound
Weston and Parkview Rds.
2 Grano. S/W construction
Wescroft Rd.
6
1941 Acceptance-Bett.
Coolidge and Springvale Rds.
4 1941 Acceptance-Bett.
Pilgrim Rd.
8 1941 Acceptance-Bett.
Prescott St. Cor. Pratt St.
1
Grano. S/W construction
Bond St.
10
1941 Acceptance-Bett.
High St.
1 Reset after 1941 Const.
Coolidge Rd.
1 1941 Acceptance-Bett.
County Rd.
5
1941 Acceptance-Bett.
Lowell St.
9
1941 Chapter 90 Const.
Charles St.
2
1941 Chapter 90 Const.
Total
52 Bounds
Street betterment acceptances and corner relocations accounted for the majority of bounds set; bounds were also set on Lowell and Charles Streets as relocated by the County Commissioners.
These bounds were all carefully checked for accuracy of location by the engineering department, when set.
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1
Storm Water Drainage
The storm water drainage system was extended 4,890.60 feet in 1941, in various suitable sizes, to correct existing improper surface drainage conditions, 51 catch basins and 33 manholes were constructed, and gran- ite curb inlets or throatstones set.
The following table illustrates the streets, size and length of drain pipes laid, also catch basins and manholes :
SIZE AND LENGTH OF PIPE INSTALLED
Street
24'
18"
12"
C.B.s
M.H.s Totals
Charles St.
580.70
14
5
580.70
Federal St.
269.0
222.00
4
3
491.00
Lowell St.
123.4 1,647.30
13
11
1,770.70
Summer Ave.
410.0
374.10
4
3
784.10
Springvale Rd.
126.4
20.50
2
2
146.90
Walnut St.
33.0
987.70
12
7
1,020.70
Wescroft Rd.
83.5
13.00
2
2
96.50
209.9
835.4 3,845.30
51
33
4,890.60
.
Of the above listed storm water drains, Charles and Lowell Streets installations were done because of Chapter 90 roadway construction, Federal Street drain a continuation and completion of a drain installed in 1940, Summer Avenue drain a replacement of an existing 12" drain with an 18" drain to accommodate the run-off from a hilly sector, Springvale and Wescroft Roads drains were done during street better- ment construction, and Walnut Street drain, from Curtis Street west- erly, was installed to eliminate constant flooding of roadway with re- sultant erosion of abutting properties.
The metal arch culverts and storm drain pipes on Charles Street will abolish an annoying and hazardous condition which has existed there for years. This particular section of Charles Street runs through a low, swamp area, drained by two brooks which led under Charles Street in two small and inadequate culverts. During periods of ex- cessive rainfall, the roadway in this section was often inundated and
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impassable, and in cold winter months frost heaves adjoining these cul- verts were the cause of several automobile accidents.
Maintenance of Storm Drains
Owing to the prolonged drouth, open drain ditches were dry during the late summer and early autumn months, presenting excellent work- ing conditions. Many ditches in various sections of the town were thoroughly cleaned and excavated, deepened and/or widened in many instances as required. Many of the ditches so cleaned will directly connect with the Quannapowitt Drainage System ditches, when com- pleted, and will then have better flow-off facilities.
On the Summer Avenue open ditch, sections of stone rip-rapped banks were cement grouted. Memorial Park Brook, from Charles Street Southerly, was stone rip-rapped by department and W. P. A. forces, completing a section not hitherto done.
The culvert under Salem Street at Memorial Park Brook, which was partially filled in by years of use, received extensive repairs. The floor of the culvert was excavated, deepened, and paved with stones; the walls were repaired and cement pointed where necessary. This was a very difficult project, as the culvert is low and narrow, and all work was accomplished from the interior of the culvert without excavating or disturbing the street surface.
Dumps
John Street Dump has been efficiently and effectively maintained during the year, with a department employee in continual attendance during usual daylight dumping periods seven days per week. Graveled lanes leading from John Street to the dump-edges were kept smoothed and free from glass and other sharp objects which would be injurious to automobile and truck tires of vehicles hauling material to the dump.
The bulldozer was used several times to clear, push back and level off heavy masses of debris along the lips of the dump, and to permit easier dumping for trucks. The Adams power grader was also used on the entire dump area that has been filled in in previous years, to smooth and level off the surface. With constant use, quite a respectable area of former swamp land has been reclaimed, and, for the most part, sur- faced with gravel.
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During the relocation of the intersection of Bancroft Avenue and Highland Street, a tall lilac hedge was removed. These lilac shrubs were salvaged and re-planted as a screen on the John Street frontage of the dump.
A number of official "No Dumping" signs were erected at illegal dumping areas on private lands on roadsides of several outlying streets. These dumps are unsanitary, unsightly and neighborhood nuisances, at- tracting rats and flies to their location, litter up the surrounding terri- tory with scrap paper, and generally result in obnoxious conditions. The John Street Dump is open to public use of all Reading citizens, and
the caretaker at the dump is always willing to assist citizens in rubbish disposal. Police assistance has been enlisted in preventing the perni- cious habit of roadside dumping of waste material in Reading.
Special Labor Account
An appropriation for the employment of workers, under the super- vision of the Board of Public Works but assigned to work by the Board of Public Welfare, was again voted at the annual March Town Meet- ing. By means of this appropriation, applicants for welfare aid are as- signed to specified weekly periods of work to meet weekly individual budget requirements as determined by the Welfare Board. The work- ers so assigned are then given work fitted to their physical fitness and trades.
Maintenance work at all Parks, Playgrounds, Commons and the War Memorial was accomplished by them, as well as maintenance of the Square and adjacent business sections relative to street, sidewalk and gutter sweeping and cleaning. Much of the gravel and stonedust sidewalk construction and maintenance work was also done by them. A new section of the gravel pit was cleared of brush and trees, and brush cut from roadsides.
In the parks and playgrounds, tennis courts, wading pools, baseball and softball diamonds were repaired, and bleachers dismantled and erected in season.
A marked decrease in the number of special labor employables was evident in 1941 compared to former years, as the war production indus- tries reduced unemployment. It is expected, however, that with the in- creasing shortage of materials occasioned by war production priorities and the resultant slacking off of private industries, that the unemployed unskilled labor situation in 1942 may be more acute than in 1941, with an increased demand for temporary aid.
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ยท
General
The Municipal Garage was maintained during the year, and several improvements necessary to efficient operation were made.
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