USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1942 > Part 21
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The major accomplishments of the Highway Department for 1942 of a permanently constructive nature, separated into the different phases of work done, is outlined in the following report :
· Snow and Ice
There were six snow storms of two inches or more in depth in 1942, five of which required plowing. Several other snow storms, from a trace to one inch or more precipitation also occurred, did not require plowing, and are not included in the following table showing recorded snowfall during 1942:
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Recorded Snow Storms-1942
Date
Snowfall Inches
Temperature
Wind Direction
Force
Remarks
Jan. 4
7"
+18°
N.W. Moderate
Light & Fine
Plowed - sanded
Jan. 10
4"
+10°
N.W. Light to
Light & Fine
Moderate
Plowed - sanded
Feb. 5
91/2"
+28°
E.S.E. Light to
Light & granular
Moderate
turning heavy -
Plowed - sanded
Feb. 28
2"
+32°
N.W. Light
Not plowed - sanded only
Mar. 14-15 7"
+30°
N.E.
Light to Moderate
Turned to rain and melted -
plowed
Dec. 13-14
4"
+20°
N.W. Moderate
Light & fine -
Total
331/2"
Snow started falling in the early morning of Sunday, January 4, Temperature +18°, Wind N.W. moderate, Barometric Pressure 29.8 and steady, and accumulated fairly rapidly. Truck plow-units were sent out from 7:00 A.M. on, with the snow still falling heavily, and some drifting caused by moderate winds. This storm several times showed appearances of stopping, then would suddenly intensify. Truck plow units covered their routes twice during the day, and then stopped plowing to resume on Monday, January 5, by widening streets and clearing intersections. Efforts were made to clear streets and sidewalks abutting churches prior to Sunday services.
Monday, January 5, the motor grader was employed to good ad- vantage in breaking up traffic-impacted snow in the Square, and win- rowing it for easier removal. A crew of 56 regular and extra employees, with Department and hired trucks, handled snow removal from regu- larly serviced locations. This snow storm amounted to approximately 7 inches.
Work of cleaning up the snow storm of January 4 was still under- way, such as highway widening, snow removal, clearing intersections, and sanding, when the second snow storm of 1942 began.
Snow started falling early on the morning of Saturday, January 10. Temperature +10°, Wind N.W. light to moderate, Barometric pressure 29.9 inches and falling slowly.
269
Highway Department
Plowed - sanded
Snow did not accumulate rapidly, being light and mealy. At 9:00 A.M., approximately 3 inches had accumulated, and still snowing lightly. Truck plow units were started over their respective routes at 9:00 A. M. and, after covering routes once, stopped plowing at varying times from 2:30 to 5:30 P. M. Snow stopped falling at 11:00 A. M. with ap- proximately 4 inches fallen.
Due to Saturday shopping traffic in the Square, no attempt was made to clean snow from the Square until Sunday, January 11, at which time the Motor Grader and truck plows broke up and winrowed snow from the Square, and a crew of 28 regular and extra employees with department trucks hauled snow from the Square, from 7:00 A. M. to 3:00 P. M. .
Sanding was required throughout Saturday and Sunday, as low temperature resulted in slippery road surfaces with coatings of gran- ular snow over the ice coatings on roadways.
Sidewalks were not plowed during this storm, with the exception of Route 28 (Main Street) from the Stoneham line to Mill Street, which was done late Saturday afternoon with the Cletrac sidewalk tractor. This was necessary, as the State truck plow had widened Route 28 and partially filled in the sidewalks, making sidewalks in places impassable.
Continued low temperatures caused highway sanding operations to be carried on extensively until a thawing period set in on Wednesday, January 14. On January 19, with continued warmer weather, a heavy rainfall occurred, quickly melting all remaining snow and ice from street surfaces and causing several minor surface water floods.
January 26 a light snowfall occurred, did not require plowing, but did cause slippery conditions on highways necessitating sanding.
The next storm, which proved to be the heaviest snowfall of 1942, occurred on Thursday, February 5.
Snow started falling at 8:00 A. M. Temperature +28°, Barometric pressure 30.2 inches and steady, with direction East-South-East, light to moderate velocity.
Snow continued to fall steadily throughout the day, but with slight accumulation, being very fine, light and slightly granular. By 3:00 P. M. but 11/2" had fallen, although the fall was noticeably increasing with larger snow flakes. Truck plows were rigged before daily work- ing hours were completed, and crews sent home at regular time. At 6:30 P. M., however, approximately 3" of snow had fallen, and crews were called out. Truck plows started over their routes at 7:30 P. M., and continued plowing throughout the night. By 7:00 A. M. Friday, February 6, a snowfall of 91/2" was recorded. The temperature rose slightly at daybreak, and the snow had nearly stopped falling, although a mist-like snow and rain continued throughout the day. Owing to the
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rise in temperature, conditions on streets and sidewalks Friday became very slushy, and light plow units were sent out in the afternoon to clear the slush and softened snow from the streets. By night-fall, many streets were bare of snow, but, with a fall in temperature, and con- tinued fall of sleet, road surfaces during the night of Friday, February 6 and early morning Saturday, Feb. 7 became glazed with ice and frozen slush, causing the most hazardous traffic conditions of the winter sea- son. Sand crews were sent out early Saturday morning to cover pre- determined routes throughout the town.
Later Saturday morning, coincidental with rising temperatures, rainfall became heavier, and by noon rain was falling heavily, melting ice and slush on roadways, also accumulated snow-banks on roadsides. This caused surface water floods in many sections, and crews of men were assigned to open catch basins, clear culverts and drains, and open channels through snow-banks to allow runoff of storm water. Rain continued heavily throughout the day Saturday, moderating carly in the evening.
Early Friday morning, February 6, before traffic conditions became bothersome, the power grader, with scarifier teeth and grader blade operating, broke up and loosened hard, traffic-packed snow from the Square and adjacent main-traveled streets, which was then winrowed by truck plow units in gutters for removal. Snow removal started in the Square at 8:00 A. M. Friday, with a crew of 50 extra shovelers, 10 hired trucks, 2 W. P. A. trucks, and 5 highway department trucks. The snow, which at first was fairly light and dry, with rising temperatures and light rain and sleet soon became soggy and heavy. Work pro- gressed rapidly, however, and by noon Friday, the Square was nearly bare of snow. Snow removal work on regularly serviced locations con- tinued until 9:00 P. M. Friday, at which time all most important loca- tions had been completed. Work started again at 7:00 A. M. Satur- day, and continued until 3:00 P. M., when heavy rain-fall forced a dis- continuance of snow removal work.
Tractor sidewalk plows were started over their routes at midnight Thursday, February 5, and plowed through the night. One tractor unit, after completing its regular route, was sent over two routes ordinarily plowed by horse-drawn plows, and, later in the morning of Friday, shovelers were assigned to accompany this tractor unit and re-open driveways and walks blocked by it. The other tractor unit plowed its own route and parts of one horse-plow route, suffered a mechanical break-down, and was not repaired in time to again operate during the day.
Horse-drawn sidewalk plow units were started out at 5:00 A. M. Friday, February 6, and, in the early morning hours, experienced little difficulty in plowing. As light rain and thawing temperatures occurred,
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however, the snow became extremely heavy and sticky, gathering in front of plow mold-boards and thereby necessitating much added exer- tion on the part of the horses. Five horse-drawn units completed their assigned routes, the uncompleted routes being plowed by the sidewalk tractors.
One truck plow unit sustained major mechanical failures early in the plowing period, and was garaged for the remainder of the storm. Other units were assigned to cover in on the disabled truck's route early Friday morning.
Private ways and lanes were opened by driving dual-wheeled trucks (without plows) through them the night of February 5, later being plowed by horse-drawn units. Very few complaints were received from citizens during the storm, and all roads were open for vehicular traffic at all times.
On Saturday, February 28, snow started falling at 2:00 A. M., Wind N. W. light velocity, Temperature +32°, Barometer 29.9 and steady. By 9:00 A. M. approximately 2 inches of snow had fallen, but rising temperatures turned falling snow into rain, melting the already fallen snow. and baring the streets by noon Saturday. This snow was not plowed, but slippery streets caused sanding operations to be carried on in the early morning.
March 6 and 7 a light precipitation of snow occurred, which soon turned to a drizzly rain and created slippery road surfaces, requiring highway sanding. The final snow storm of the early months of 1942 occurred on March 14 and 15.
Snow started falling at 11:00 A. M. Saturday, March 14, Wind N. E. light to moderate, Temperature++30°, Barometric pressure 29.8 inches and falling slightly. No great accumulation was noted during the aft- ernoon, although by 8:00 P. M. a depth of 3" was recorded. Late in the evening snow fall increased in intensity, and at 11:00 P. M. approx- imately 6" had fallen. Truck plow units were sent out over their re- spective routes beginning at midnight Saturday, and plowed through- out the night, completing routes by 7:00 A. M. Sunday, March 15. The snow, which slackened early Sunday morning, had been followed by a misty drizzle, interspersed with hail. A total accumulation of ap- proximately 7" of snow was recorded during the storm.
The three hired truck plows were slow in starting, and, after De- partment plows had completed their routes, certain units were assigned to assist on unfinished hired truck routes.
Owing to the thawed condition of dirt sidewalks, sidewalk snow plows were not used during this storm, as it was assumed damage would be done to them by the plow blades. No complaints were re- ceived by the Department because of unplowed sidewalks.
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Snow was removed from the Square, Haven Street and Woburn Street starting at 8:00 A. M. Sunday, March 15, with Department and W. P. A. trucks and a crew of 40 shovelers. This work was completed at 1:00 P. M. Sunday.
No breakdowns of equipment occurred during this storm, and roads were passable for vehicular traffic at all times.
Rainstorms and rising temperatures the following days quickly melted the accumulated snow, baring the ground. Heavy rainfalls dur- ing March caused many house cellars to become flooded, requiring pumping by local contractors or the Fire Department.
No more snow storms were experienced until December 13, 1942. Snow then started falling at 10:00 A. M. Sunday, December 13, of a light and fine texture, Temperature +20°, Wind N. W. moderate ve- locity, Barometer 29.7 inches and falling slightly. No great accumula- tion occurred until 1:00 P. M., when, with wind increasing in velocity, larger snowflakes appeared. Truck plow crews were called out at 5:00 P. M. and plows rigged, starting out over their assigned routes at 7:00 P. M. The Department on this storm was undermanned, not having enough chauffeurs to man the truck plows. Several former employees, however, volunteered their services, and all routes were eventually cov- ered, the last truck to finish checking in at 3:00 A. M. Monday, De- cember 14. A total of 4 inches of snow was recorded for this storm.
Sidewalk plows were not called out during this storm, nor were the tractor sidewalk plows used. Although six horse-drawn sidewalk plows were available during the early months of 1942, only two were available during this particular storm. The acute shortage of man power on local farms, from whence these horses for sidewalk plowing are hired, have compelled the horse-owners to temporarily at least dis- continue plowing of snow, because of lack of drivers.
The department also has experienced a shortage of man-power es- pecially in sidewalk tractor-plow drivers, through loss of men to vari- ous war industries. Many of these former employees, however, have volunteered their services in event of severe storms providing work- ing hours can be so arranged that they can work during their off-shifts. Several of these men have already been so employed, and the depart- ment appreciates their cooperation and loyalty.
Several private ways, mostly situated in the outlying parts of town and hitherto plowed by horse-drawn sidewalk plows, present a difficult plowing problem. As most of them are badly rutted and rough, truck plows cannot be risked on them because of danger of serious breakage of equipment. To solve this problem, department employees have de- vised a steel plow rig, attached to an obsolete Chevrolet truck, with the steel plow so mounted on sled runners as to ride over rough ter- rain, and not be caught on protruding stones or such. Although this
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rig has not as yet been in actual snow-plowing use, it has been tested and found to perform well in tests. It is hoped it will perform as well in actual use as in the tests.
The regular routine snow and ice disposal preparations were ac- complished early in the Fall, including erection of snow fences, distribu- tion of sand barrels, etc. Highway sanding during 1942 was carried on extenisvely throughout the winter season, as existing weather condi- tions required.
GENERAL HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE
War-time limitations on the purchase and use of road oils reduced to a minimum roadway maintenance during the year. With allotments to municipalities requiring approval by the State Department of Pub- lic Works, lists of streets most badly in need of repair were prepared, and the available material ear-marked for them. For the most part also, only short sections of these streets were surface treated. A ten- foot wide strip on one road was honed and a short section of another street was scarified, graded and rolled. The remainder of the road oil was used to spray only sections of an approved list of roadways. A total of 36,624 gallons were applied in this work.
Roadway patching was carried on extensively during the year, in an effort to prevent further deterioration of road surfaces. A total of 15.26 tons of ready-mixed commercial patching material was used, and 3,415 gallons of cold patch liquid was used by the department in mixing cold patch aggregate at the garage.
Gravel was used liberally during the winter months as a temporary patching measure.
The usual Spring sweeping, cleaning and removal of accumulated debris started early in April with a crew of extra hired employees and departmental trucks. The Roto Street Sweeper also was used in this work. Brush was cut along many highways as a safety measure to im- prove visibility, and new guard rails set or damaged rails repaired as required. Street signs were inspected, replaced, or repaired, and sign posts repainted. During the Winter months, a large area of the gravel pit property, hitherto unused, was stripped of trees and brush in prep- aration for opening and operating a new section of the pit. The gravel plant at the pit was used to good advantage during the work season.
It was necessary to install additional reinforcing on the approaches of the Mineral Street Railroad Bridge as a safety measure. Several stone retaining walls were repaired, and on Grove and Franklin Streets fallen stone walls were relaid.
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Chapter 90 Maintenance
Sections of six main traveled highways received attention through allotment of Chapter 90 Maintenance funds. On Main Street, between Washington Street and Haven Street, sections of the concrete road- way had become badly spalled, and four tons of sheet asphalt mix were applied to these sections and rolled. At the corner of Summer Avenue and Woburn Street an old fire cistern existed, through or into which drain pipes ran. These storm drain pipes were interconnected, a new manhole constructed at Woburn Street and Summer Avenue and the drain pipes connected thereto, and the fire cistern filled in with gravel. This work eliminated an inefficient drainage condition which, through clogging, often caused surface water floods and road settlements.
On Charles Street, a section of roadway at the Easterly terminus of the 1941 Chapter 90 construction, the grade of which had been raised on a W. P. A. Farm and Market Road project with gravel fill, was in a dangerously rough condition. This roadway section was regraded, `ome additional gravel borrow put in place, rolled, and surface treated 'ith road oil. Some additional work was also accomplished on Charles 'treet culverts, and a stone wall near Pearl Street rebuilt to conform with the relocated street lines. Wooden guard rails were repaired and painted, and fine grading accomplished abutting Memorial Park.
Sections of Haverhill Street were asphalt surface treated with 4,087 gallons of asphalt, gutters were cut out and shaped, culverts cleaned out and inspected. Four new concrete guard rail posts were set to re- place those broken by automobiles, and several sections of guard posts painted. Brush cutting along the roadsides was also accomplished.
Two new guard rail posts were set on Lowell Street, catch basins were cleaned and culverts inspected. Some brush also was cut on road- sides. On Salem Street, catch basins and culverts were cleaned, and minor repairs made to culverts.
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 construc- tion, at the Annual Town Meeting :
STREETS ACCEPTED AS PUBLIC WAYS Annual Town Meeting-March 9, 1942
Name of Street
Location-Boundaries
Length Feet
Status
Harvard Street
John Carver Road-Southwesterly
to Essex Street
317.17
Bett.
Lewis Street
Acceptance of May 1, 1940-West-
erly to County Road
319.05
Bett.
Total
636.22
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Lewis Street has been completed, constructed of Tar Treated gravel. Sidewalks, of stonedust surfaced gravel, with loamed and seeded tree lawns, were also constructed. Two new residences abut this street.
Harvard Street has been partially completed, also of Tar Treated gravel, and granite curbing set on both radius corners at its intersec- tion with John Carver Road. Sidewalks have been partially roughed out and gravel filled, and shoulders rough graded.
Of the streets accepted as betterments in 1941, and not completed that year, Bond Street only has been completed. Wescroft, Springvale and County Roads, also West Hill Circle, have received attention and been placed in usable condition, but lack of road oils has prevented their completion. It is problematical if this material will be available in 1943.
Work on all betterment streets was accomplished with departmental personnel and equipment.
Alterations and Relocations
One relocation or alteration of an existing public highway was voted at the Annual March Town Meeting, being the Southerly side line of Hopkins Street from Main Street to near Fairmount Road. No further action has been taken on this relocation, as pressure of other work and scarcity of labor has prevented it. When done, this section of Hopkins Street, which is quite narrow, will be safer for vehicular traffic, and will enable the construction of a sidewalk.
At the Southeasterly intersection of Vine and Mineral Streets, a corner curbing was set back to broaden out a sharp corner, and a sim- ilar project was accomplished at the Southeasterly corner of Green and Main Streets.
Granolithic Sidewalks
Granolithic sidewalk construction was accomplished abutting thirty- one locations on twenty-two streets, totaling 1,906.87 square yards on a total frontage of 3,049.76 lineal feet. All sidewalks constructed in 1942 were on voluntary application of abutting property owners under the terms of the Betterment Act, whereby the property owner pays one-half the cost of the sidewalk. These sidewalks were variable in width, according to location, 4.5 feet for standard widths up to 7.6 feet on special locations.
Several of these sidewalks were constructed only after existing physical obstructions were removed. Trees, poles, ledge and under- ground conduit manholes all were encountered and relocated or altered to permit sidewalk construction. On two locations it was necessary to construct low retaining walls prior to sidewalk construction.
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Repairs were made to several existing sidewalk surfaces ruptured by tree roots, removal of trees or poles, or necessary excavations. Where necessary, broken squares of sidewalks were removed and new squares poured.
Several sidewalk construction applications are on hand from 1942, which, through lack of funds and labor were not attended to in 1942. Conditions permitting, these applications will receive priority rating in 1943 construction.
The following table illustrates granolithic sidewalk construction in 1942 :
Granolithic Sidewalk Construction By Streets
Street
Number Lots
Feet Frontage
Square Yards
Bancroft Avenue
2
126.40
108.24
Fairview Avenue
2
150.15
92.83
Gilmore Avenue
1
119.77
72.64
Grand Street
3
216.40
140.99
Hampshire Road
3
363.82
209.57
Hanscom Avenue
100.00
60.22
Haven Street
3
206.00
135.90
High Street
1
62.60
37.40
Hillcrest Road
1
91.70
46.91
John Carver Road
2
228.75
152.33
Kingston Street
1
69.90
42.43
Linden Street
1
83.10
49.85
Lowell Street
4
263.27
199.49
Main Street
1
77.90
61.29
Middlesex Avenue
1
82.50
48.37
Pine Ridge Road
85.00
43.81
Salem Street
1
129.60
68.94
Scotland Road
140.60
72.94
Springvale Road
1
150.10
76.05
Sylvan Road
1
109.60
59.90
Woburn Street
1
127.10
89.16
Totals
31
3,049.76
1,906.88
277
Highway Department
John Street
1
65.50
37.61
Stone Dust Sidewalks
Stone dust was used to temporarily surface 5,832.00 lineal feet of gravel or earth sidewalks, abutting 52 different properties and totaling 3,165.71 square yards. A total of 163.46 tons of stonedust was used for this purpose. The major portion of these installations were done at the request of property owners seeking to relieve conditions abutting their own properties. As the amount of funds available for this type of work is limited, an attempt is made each year to accommodate requests in the order received. Stone dust was also applied to sidewalks on all betterment constructed streets, but is not included in the above totals.
Gravel Sidewalks
Gravel sidewalks were constructed abutting 16 separated proper- ties on a total frontage of 1,502.00 lineal feet, covering 819.84 square yards of sidewalks. Most of these sidewalks were constructed abutting newly erected houses where formerly no sidewalks existed. Tree lawns in many locations were loamed, fertilized, graded and seeded, and gen- eral maintenance work accomplished on many sidewalks.
Granite Curbing
New granite curbing was installed totaling 1,991.30 lineal feet, of which total 1,389.70 was straight curb and 601.60 feet was radius or circle curb. Curbings were installed on application of abutting property owners under the Betterment Act at 20 different locations, and 40 driveway returns were set. The following table illustrates new granite curbing installations, by streets, in 1942:
Granite Curbing Installation By Streets
Street
Number Feet Lots Straight
Curbing Radius
Installed Returns
Total Length
Bancroft Avenue
2
76.2
4
76.2
County Road
40.0
40.0
Fairmount Road
29.5
29.5
Grand Street
3
187.7
13.0
6
200.7
Green Street
25.0
25.0
Grove Street
28.5
57.0
1
85.5
Hanscom Avenue
79.7
9.6
2
89.3
Hampshire Road
3
187.7
126.5
5
314.2
Haven Street
1
41.4
3
41.4
High Street
1
42.0
2
42.0
Hillcrest Road
1
76.8
25.30
102.1
Hopkins Street
29.5
29.5
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Granite Curbing Installation By Streets (continued)
Street
Number Feet Lots Straight
Curbing Radius
Installed Returns
Total Length
John Street
25.0
25.0
John Carver Road
2
149.2
113.6
2
262.8
Kingston Street
2
97.8
4
97.8
Linden Street
1
64.9
2
64.9
Lowell Street
3
149.3
9.6
4
158.9
Main Street
20.0
24.0
44.0
Mineral Street
1
62.8
62.8
Pine Ridge Road
22.0
22.0
Scotland Road
100.7
1
100.7
Sylvan Road
22.0
22.0
Village Street
25.0
30.0
2
55.0
West Street
2
Totals
20
1,389.70
601.60
40
1,991.30
New radius curbing was set on street corners where curbing was installed under the Betterment Act on corner lots. Radius curbing, on street corners, is installed at no cost to the abuttor. Radius curbing was also installed at entrances to several Chapter 83 Betterment streets, where conditions warranted such construction.
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