Mahoning Valley Forum

Youngstown & The Mahoning Valley => Road News => Topic started by: jay on March 09, 2015, 08:15:04 PM

Title: Bring Back Brick Streets
Post by: jay on March 09, 2015, 08:15:04 PM
We are all sick and tired of all these potholes on Youngstown streets.  I would prefer the return to brick streets rather than having this pothole problem each winter.

Remember when South Avenue was a beautiful brick street?  Now it is full of potholes.
Title: Re: Bring Back Brick Streets
Post by: Peggy Gurney on March 09, 2015, 11:44:07 PM
I AGREE!!
Title: Re: Bring Back Brick Streets
Post by: Rick Rowlands on March 10, 2015, 09:55:46 AM
They are still there under the asphalt. 

We can't afford to pay city workers fifty bucks an hour to hand lay bricks in all the holes they have dug over the years in the streets.  Bring back cheap labor! 
Title: Re: Bring Back Brick Streets
Post by: AllanY2525 on March 11, 2015, 01:18:30 AM


Although the look of the old brick streets is historic  I must agree that the
cost would be prohibitive with labor charges and the streets under the asphalt
have way too many scars from excavations done for repairs underneath them over
the years.  The pavers also grind the surface of brick streets before laying asphalt on
top of them, so even intact brick would not look very good if exposed again.

Another thing to consider is the weight of our modern vehicles - especially
semi rigs.  Brick streets would probably become badly rutted where the tires
on the vehicles tread, creating a hump in the middle of each lane.

Plowing them in the winter could be a bit tricky, too......especially if they're
badly rutted out.  In dry weather they can be quite noisy to drive on.  I used to
drive up South Avenue every day as a kid on my way to work at the Brown Derby
and it was a bumpy, noisy ride for sure - and that was more than 30 years ago.

Concrete would be the most durable and lasting solution, but again - too costly.

I've always wished that the streets on all 4 sides of Wick Park and inside the park
could someday be repaved with brick.  The old postcards that show the park
and Park avenue done in brick are quite beautiful.
Title: Re: Bring Back Brick Streets
Post by: Peggy Gurney on March 11, 2015, 06:36:44 AM
We have a few brick streets here on the north side of Youngstown. Never been paved over.

Beautiful.  Still nice and even.  NO potholes.   ;)