Davis Square Brick Maintenance

[patchkl.livejournal.com]

Thought this article might be of interest to the Davis Square community....as many of you probably walk the brick sidewalks daily. 

FYI: Alderwoman Gewirtz, Alderman Connolly and DPW Commissioner Stan Koty met in Davis Square on Friday to identify areas of the square where the brick pavings are in need of repair. Click here to read more on SomervillePatch.com

Comments

[svilletheatre.livejournal.com]

Obviously it would be a huge expense, but I hope eventually all of the brick sidewalks in Davis are replaced with cement sidewalks. Not only are they easier for the disabled, as this article mentions, but they are cleaner looking in my opinion. Bits of garbage, butts, etc. get caught between the bricks and they always look filthy to me even when they are swept, and they inevitably are tossed about by weathering to a far greater extent than cement. I'm grateful we've still got cement sidewalks at the theater (they were never changed in the 80's because our basement extends under the sidewalks.)

[vonelftinhaus.livejournal.com]

+This

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

I can see why there are some safety concerns with the poorly-maintained brickwork. I wonder if there are any alternative surfacing materials that have a higher aesthetic quality than cement but are easier to maintain than brick?

[gruene.livejournal.com]

Here's an interesting article on this question:

http://www.infrastructurist.com/2010/02/22/the-sidewalks-of-today-and-tomorrow-is-concrete-our-only-option/

The answer seems to be "no", unless you're willing to shell out a lot of money for stone slabs and those can be quite slippery. Rubberized sidewalks are an option as well, although the author doesn't like them aesthetically and there is some suggestion the may degrade too quickly.

[squirrelitude]

Man, they could crowd-source this so easily.

I saw a guy go tumbling onto the street when his shopping cart hit a hole on the Grove St sidewalk by Martsa.

[ron_newman]

See also this later discussion of the same topic.