133 replies to this topic

[jencoleslaw]

i have been known to communicate with the sidewalk peeps via forestery when we are doing tree stuff (as "sidewalk vs tree" is a common battle here in PVD,) and i seem to remember that if you had a  concrete sidewalk and it needed repairs or replacing, you got concrete. But if you had no sidewalk, or an asphalt sidewalk, you got asphalt.  That's if the sidewalk is being fixed or replaced by our own highway department.

If it is part of a sidewalk project that has gone out to bid, you will get concrete whether you need it or not, and you'll lose your grass strip and tree well, because the contractor gets paid on concrete poured, not concrete not poured.

[runawayjim]

jencoleslaw, on Oct 2 2006, 06:41 PM, said:

i have been known to communicate with the sidewalk peeps via forestery when we are doing tree stuff (as "sidewalk vs tree" is a common battle here in PVD,) and i seem to remember that if you had a  concrete sidewalk and it needed repairs or replacing, you got concrete. But if you had no sidewalk, or an asphalt sidewalk, you got asphalt.  That's if the sidewalk is being fixed or replaced by our own highway department.

If it is part of a sidewalk project that has gone out to bid, you will get concrete whether you need it or not, and you'll lose your grass strip and tree well, because the contractor gets paid on concrete poured, not concrete not poured.

so i can forget about having a grass strip like the rest of the sidewalk as seen in my pic?



i guess i'm just going to have to have faith in mancini that what he said was right...

matt, what streets did you see them putting in new sidewalks, and was it concrete or asphalt?

[jencoleslaw]

part of the issue with grass strips is that it sometimes (often) makes the actual sidewalk part (that the cement is on) less than ADA compliant.  Older sidewalks are grandfathered in as long as they don't have any work done on them.   I don't mean to harsh your sidewalk vibe, jim, i just wouldn't hold my breath for a concrete sidewalk and a lush grad strip...

[runawayjim]

jencoleslaw, on Oct 2 2006, 07:10 PM, said:

part of the issue with grass strips is that it sometimes (often) makes the actual sidewalk part (that the cement is on) less than ADA compliant.  Older sidewalks are grandfathered in as long as they don't have any work done on them.   I don't mean to harsh your sidewalk vibe, jim, i just wouldn't hold my breath for a concrete sidewalk and a lush grad strip...

i'd be happy if it was just concrete without the grass strip, obviously not as happy...

although, the new sidewalks they put in (completely new, they had to raise the grade where they were because there was nothing there previously) on huxley have a grass strip, at least on teh section north of the PC gate.  the sidewalk south of the gate does not have a grass strip (i thought it was weird that they put it in one place but not the other).  although i was pissed that they left the crooked signs where they were and just poured concrete around them.

[Recchia]

They must have given developers/homeowners an option back in the day whether or not they wanted to include a sidewalk in front of their property, thus resulting in the scattered sidewalks we see around Providence and Pawtucket.  Very annoying I agree.  Nothing is worse than Warwick though, it's the land of broken scattered sidewalks and piss-poor pedestrian accommodations.  I despise it.

[matt]

runawayjim, on Oct 2 2006, 06:45 PM, said:

matt, what streets did you see them putting in new sidewalks, and was it concrete or asphalt?

River ave has just gotten new sidewalk along the PC field down to the gate.  Also on River between Smith and the PVParkway they have been replacing concrete sidewalk with new concrete sidewalk.

[runawayjim]

matt, on Oct 3 2006, 08:11 AM, said:

River ave has just gotten new sidewalk along the PC field down to the gate.  Also on River between Smith and the PVParkway they have been replacing concrete sidewalk with new concrete sidewalk.

at least it's concrete... i wonder why they cuoldn't do mine with concrete...  

[matt]

got my new trash receptacle today.  holy crap is this thing big.   I usually only have to put the 1 or 2 bags of trash out every other week.  Now I have a big monster trash can taking over my garage.  I feel like I should just share one with a few neighbors.

[runawayjim]

matt, on Oct 12 2006, 01:59 PM, said:

got my new trash receptacle today.  holy crap is this thing big.   I usually only have to put the 1 or 2 bags of trash out every other week.  Now I have a big monster trash can taking over my garage.  I feel like I should just share one with a few neighbors.

did they deliver it or did you take it from valueland?  

they are quite large and hold a lot.  when the woman below me was away, i didn't even fill it 1/3 of the way.  she has a lot of trash...

[Liamlunchtray]

runawayjim, on Oct 12 2006, 02:09 PM, said:

did they deliver it or did you take it from valueland?  

they are quite large and hold a lot.  when the woman below me was away, i didn't even fill it 1/3 of the way.  she has a lot of trash...

Are they doing 1 can per unit or 1 per house?

[runawayjim]

Liamlunchtray, on Oct 12 2006, 02:15 PM, said:

Are they doing 1 can per unit or 1 per house?

i have 1 per house, but there's only 2 apartments in my house (most of my neighborhood is single family homes, my house was converted from a single family, and i actually woudln't midn buying it and converting it back).  i don't really know about houses that have 3 or 4 apartments in them.

[urbie]

matt, on Oct 12 2006, 12:59 PM, said:

got my new trash receptacle today.  holy crap is this thing big.   I usually only have to put the 1 or 2 bags of trash out every other week.  Now I have a big monster trash can taking over my garage.  I feel like I should just share one with a few neighbors.

We'd be happy to drop by and fill it up!  

Urb

[xine]

I hate to make everyone jealous but this spring we got home from work and they had torn up all the sidewalks on our side of the street (some asphalt, some concrete) and the next day they replaced it with new concrete and even an 18" grass strip where there was none before!   I like the green but it's hard to keep clean and trimmed (even though I know WBNA has a weedwacker in their Tool Bank) .  So, it does happen. I have no idea  why or how.

[runawayjim]

i think someone here mentioned raking leaves out of a drain in their driveway and into the street and the legality of that.  while i am pretty sure it's illegal to just rake leaves into the street, a few isn't a big deal...

but what i saw today about 5 minutes ago, oh my.  the street looked like it was the central collection point for leaves for about 3 or 4 houses (which all had perfectly leaf-free yards) and there was an old man literally raking all his leaves into the middle of the street.  i was tempted to jump out of my car and yell at him.  it's dangerous having all those leaves in the street if you have to stop quickly because they slide, especially when wet.  nevermind the fact that it makes it impossible to see any obstacles that might be hiding below them.

[matt]

runawayjim, on Nov 17 2006, 01:06 PM, said:

nevermind the fact that it makes it impossible to see any obstacles that might be hiding below them.

What could possibly be wrong with our streets?  

I benefitted from some neighborhood kids that came to my door the other day offering to rake my yard.  
Funny thing tho... if you're going to go door to door offering to rake peoples yard, take some of your first earnings, and BUY A RAKE instead of asking to use mine.  I'm surpised they assumed I had one, given the status of my yard (I had been out of town for a couple weeks).

[jencoleslaw]

well, there's one less tree to rake up after since someone on PINEHURST already snapped one of the trees I JUST PLANTED.  You elmhurst people--sheesh.

[runawayjim]

jencoleslaw, on Nov 27 2006, 04:34 PM, said:

well, there's one less tree to rake up after since someone on PINEHURST already snapped one of the trees I JUST PLANTED.  You elmhurst people--sheesh.

those are PC kids, not permanent residents.

[matt]

runawayjim, on Nov 27 2006, 04:57 PM, said:

those are PC kids, not permanent residents.

I thought you said the bad ones were JWU kids    

[runawayjim]

matt, on Nov 28 2006, 11:55 AM, said:

I thought you said the bad ones were JWU kids    

i never claimed the PC kids were angels... the JWU kids are just worse.

[runawayjim]

so there's several national grid trucks outside my house right now digging up the street.  i'd be willing to put money on them not patching the hole properly.  what is required when the utility companies rip up a street for maintenance or whatever (i think they're doing something with the house across the street because they were marking up their front lawn) when it comes to patching their holes?  all the "patches" on admiral st are lower than the actual street, making for TONS of bumps down the entire street.