Is the difference between a 2 percent slope and a 4.5 percent slope really that extreme?

And if the city tells the Architectural Access Board to go pound sand what will they do? Repossess their Lite Brites?

Why is it that cities under Democrat control seem to have problems with bloated bureaucracy, crime, and complete inefficiency? It's a miracle that these places don't end up like Detroit and Baltimore.

Suicidal Writer:Why is it that cities under Democrat control seem to have problems with bloated bureaucracy, crime, and complete inefficiency? It's a miracle that these places don't end up like Detroit and Baltimore.

Anytime you get a bunch of victim-fetishists in a room together and ask them to solve a problem, you get this. Especially if each group views the other groups as having mountains of ebil, ebil money.

boston is a great city to live in, but the corruption and incompetence in the city works is reprehensible.

It's all fun and games until a public works project falls and kills somebody.

Its OK. You'll pay for it.

Gainsborough to Mass Ave is barely 100 yards. What they hell are they making it out of for $2.5 mil?

When is Boston getting its own tag?

/ Texas is probably closer to the front of that line.

Let's let these guys run our healtcare system.

Yeah!

Suicidal Writer:Why is it that cities under Democrat control seem to have problems with bloated bureaucracy, crime, and complete inefficiency?

Amazing how easy it is to answer your own question, isn't it.

Suicidal Writer:Why is it that cities under Democrat control seem to have problems with bloated bureaucracy, crime, and complete inefficiency? It's a miracle that these places don't end up like Detroit and Baltimore.

They're getting there. Look at San Francisco and Seattle.

And Boston.

Can we just dump this whole town in the ocean?
/waste of taxes

Typical government - it's not a particular problem of democrat-run areas, either, judging by Bloomberg, Giuliani, etc.

One part of gov't fining another part of gov't, that will learn 'em!

horizontal slope of a sidewalk must not exceed 2 percent


First off, what happens on streets that have a hill more than 2% grade? Do they zig zag the sidewalk back and forth like railroad switchbacks on mountains? If the space is narrow like most streets I see, is it even feasable? If not, do they just have to remove the sidewalk all together?


Second, horizontal? You mean as opposed to the vertical slope? WTF?

Outtaphase:What they hell are they making it out of for $2.5 mil?

Jobs for relatives that would otherwise be unemployed.

Pocket Ninja: Is the difference between a 2 percent slope and a 4.5 percent slope really that extreme?

Only if you're in a wheelchair. Have you ever tried to wheel yourself around in a wheelchair? It's exhausting and every incline, no matter how small, is an exponentially bigger challenge.

However, if you are a sidewalk contractor, it's simple math and cement. The contractor is the less-abled person in this story.

I'm sure Mayor Menino can clear this whole thing up. Mr. Mayor...any comment?

"Mrfle mrble mumble brble griffle."


o.....kay...

Manbearpig!

/Never forget!

lelio:Outtaphase:What they hell are they making it out of for $2.5 mil?

Jobs for relatives that would otherwise be unemployed.

I'm guessing they mean the cost of the entire project, which re-paved both sides of Huntington Ave for about a half mile with brick, including going around two "T" (subway) stations, and 4 bus stops, which is likely why the MBTA was in charge of the project to begin with.

Then again this is the Herald, who needs facts when we can put 4 inch headlines on every cover page?

Damn, Houston city government seems like a paragon of efficiency compared to Boston. Even Dallas seems halfway competent.

(Can't Massachusetts just secede already, and stop farking up New Hampshire?)

Yes of course. Because cost overruns like this NEVER happen in private companies. Jeez, get your head out of your ass, people. Crap like this goes on with large private companies ALL THE TIME. Boston is actually a relatively well-run city.

The Herald doesn't ever let facts get in the way of trying to slam the Menino administration. And if they are Herald sports writers, they just make shiat up.

According to the ADA (American Disability Act), the maximum slope along the alignment of the sidewalk is 1:12, which traslates into about a 8.3 percent slope. Some places will limit this to 1:20, which is 5%. The issue here is the cross-slope, which is limited by the ADA to 2%.

What is going on with the Boston area an construction projects??

I may have missed something in the article, but who exactly is Boston paying these fines to? Themselves?

stupiddogg:I may have missed something in the article, but who exactly is Boston paying these fines to? Themselves?

Johnny Damon.

It seems like every other day, I'm reading about a new reason why our public works and city officials are completely incompetent. To whoever said Boston was a great city in which to live, I agree. Just so long as you can afford it. When things like this happen with laws and regulations being completely disregarded at taxpayers' expense, it's a wonder anyone making under $40k per year live comfortably.

This is part of the reason that September will see me taking the show to NashVegas.

Close2TheEdge:Yes of course. Because cost overruns like this NEVER happen in private companies. Jeez, get your head out of your ass, people. Crap like this goes on with large private companies ALL THE TIME. Boston is actually a relatively well-run city.

The Herald doesn't ever let facts get in the way of trying to slam the Menino administration. And if they are Herald sports writers, they just make shiat up.

Um, if this happened in large private companies "ALL THE TIME", they would be bankrupt.

what, no Vogon reference? Im utterly dissapointed



/damn bureaucrats
//my job is receiving filled out forms n loading em in a software
/// loves rejecting them

Outtaphase:Gainsborough to Mass Ave is barely 100 yards. What they hell are they making it out of for $2.5 mil?

Remember that next time you or someone tries to say their tax money gives them such and such a right. All your your tax money you'll pay in your lifetime will barely pay for a few dozen feet of sidewalk.

/my taxes paid for half a fire hydrant...

I went to Northeastern, a block away from here. Though that was years ago, I do remember the construction in this corridor being never ending. Adding more sounds like a fantastic idea.

swaxhog:Outtaphase:Gainsborough to Mass Ave is barely 100 yards. What they hell are they making it out of for $2.5 mil?

Remember that next time you or someone tries to say their tax money gives them such and such a right. All your your tax money you'll pay in your lifetime will barely pay for a few dozen feet of sidewalk.

/my taxes paid for half a fire hydrant...

2.5 was for the whole section here

google maps (new window)

anything that is brick wasn't there before.

YixilTesiphon:Damn, Houston city government seems like a paragon of efficiency compared to Boston.

How's that light rail working out for you folks?

Anybody have a problem with building a 3/4 inch metal curb in the middle of a sidewalk?



Designers probably have relatives who are personal injury lawyers.

Close2TheEdge

2008-07-04 12:18:29 PM 
Boston is actually a relatively well-run city.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

It's corrupt and deplorable the way the public transportation is run.

/Cambridge

drateR:Close2TheEdge

2008-07-04 12:18:29 PM 
Boston is actually a relatively well-run city.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

It's corrupt and deplorable the way the public transportation is run.

/Cambridge

So says the representative from the People's Republic across the river. Would you rather we all had dreads and a messenger bag? I think those are the current requirements to use your bike lanes, right?

I love that this kind of crap is possible in the U.S.. I saw sidewalks in Mexico that not even a full functioning adult could navigate and nobody got their panties in a bunch.

/Mexico: The limited Liability State

Outtaphase:Gainsborough to Mass Ave is barely 100 yards. What they hell are they making it out of for $2.5 mil?

they must need certified ditch diggers to do the job

/or the mob

I work at Northeastern Univerity (on Huntington Ave, for you non-Bostonians) and I'm getting a kick out of these replies...

/Seriously, the sidewalks on Huntington, while not being the worst I've encountered by a long shot, do kinda suck.

only Three.
hmmm... we're getting efficient...er

Arkanaut:YixilTesiphon:Damn, Houston city government seems like a paragon of efficiency compared to Boston.

How's that light rail working out for you folks?

fark it. Katy Freeway will be the widest road in the world or something soon, though.

All of this is because of those damn cripples. We should get rid of them once and for all.

Benjimin_Dover:First off, what happens on streets that have a hill more than 2% grade? Do they zig zag the sidewalk back and forth like railroad switchbacks on mountains?

Our building had a ramp put up the side as a secondary handicapped access. It seemed fine but ended up being 3.5% in grade. If it was 2.5% it couldn't be done. Every so many feet there had to be a flat spot that someone in a wheelchair could rest on. In order for the ramp to work with 2.5% grade they'd have to project part of the ramp out onto the sidewalk, which they couldn't do. Someone complained to the ADA...I know who it is because this same person biatched about the hill that the building was on.

We're removing the ramp and rebuilding it. It will wrap around the building on 2 sides. Since there is no door on that one side we're having one cut into the building where a window is now. Had to get permission and pay a nice steep fee to get a variance to the historic zoning on the building, but...*shrug*.

We're looking at nearly 250k just for this one ramp, which will serve as a backup in the event someone in a wheelchair doesn't want to take the elevator up. I suggested an elevator ramp device for that back stairwell (which empties out at the parking lot) but the ADA wasn't all for it.

FTA:"People in the street helped me, and I got pushed home," the 50-year-old Mission Hill woman said, "but I'm so scared, I don't even take that street anymore."

Problem solved!

ttc2301:It's all fun and games until a public works project falls and kills somebody.

Ding!

/well played
//funny too...