SALEM Sinking pavement spurs call for action by crews

An official wants crews to find the cause.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- Work must begin soon to determine what's causing pavement at a key downtown intersection to deteriorate, a city official says.
The broken and sunken pavement at Ellsworth Avenue and East State Street, on the city's west side is steadily worsening, service Director Joe Julian said Thursday.
"We're going to have to deal with it pretty quick," Julian said, adding that he would like to see the project started in the next month. The intersection remains fully open.
It's unclear what's causing the pavement to crack and sink.
Julian said he wants city street crews to do some excavation to determine the cause.
Layers of cement
The intersection is constructed with a top 4-inch layer of cement, under which is a 6-inch layer of cement.
If the repair is limited to the top layer, fixing it should cost about $8,000 using city crews, Julian said.
If the thicker layer of cement is damaged as the result of the ground beneath it giving way, the project could cost well over $20,000 and require the hiring of a contractor to make the repair, he added.
"We won't be sure until we open it up to see," Julian said.
Plans call for using capital improvement funds to pay for the less expensive repair. It's unclear how a more costly fix will be funded.
Either job will require detouring traffic around the busy intersection, which lies on the main east-west route through the city.
Brick replacement
Work on another major downtown intersection is being delayed.
Julian said he had wanted city crews to begin this spring replacing brick installed at East State and Lincoln Avenue during a downtown revitalization project completed in 1995.
Many of the bricks have sunk under the traffic load, resulting in an uneven surface that produces a rough ride for vehicles and hazardous walking for pedestrians.
The wet weather in recent weeks has delayed the job and has resulted in its being postponed until later this year or until sometime in 2004, Julian said.
The Lincoln Avenue intersection is not in as poor condition as Ellsworth, so its repair can be delayed, he added.
The cost of fixing the East State-Lincoln Avenue intersection is estimated at about $4,000.