CITY OFFICIALS https://phila.legistar.com:  What can you do now to make sure our historic streets are properly maintained? Support the proposals below. E-mail your city officials and suggest the following changes to city policy:

James.Kenney@phila.gov   (Mayor of Philadelphia)
Mark.Squilla@phila.gov  (Chair of Streets Committee on City Council)
Carlton.Williams@phila.gov  (Streets Commissioner)
Richard.Montanez@phila.gov (Deputy Streets Commissioner, Lighting & Maintenance)
Stephen.Lorenz@phila.gov  (Chief Engineer, Historic Streets)
Jon.Farnham@phila.gov  (Executive Director of Philadelphia Historical Commission)
Find your council member: http://philacitycouncil.maps.arcgis.com/apps/InformationLookup/index.html?appid=5aa8ce86ed1a45c99c2c751bd9ebcc06

PHILLY GOV'T LINKS: (Unfortunately, there is not one repository for information about Philadelphia's historically certified streets, as the Historical Commission and the Streets Department post some, but not all the resources available.)

• Philadelphia Streets Department's "Historical Streets" http://www.philadelphiastreets.com/highways/historic-streets/
• Philadelphia Historic Districts, scroll down to "Historic Street Paving": http://www.phila.gov/historical/register/Pages/districts.aspx (drop down menu provides the following 2 documents)
  • Historic Streets List (find out if a street is certified historic, might not be up-to-date): https://www.phila.gov/media/20190213131359/Thematic-District-Street-Paving.pdf
    • Dec 1,1998, Report of the Historic Designation Committee (our link, could not find document online)
    • Dec. 9, 1998, Official nomination: http://www.phila.gov/historical/PDF/Histori...
  • Historic Streets Map - http://phl.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=0a0b23447b6b4f7097d59c580b9045fe

  • STREETS TO BE REMOVED FROM and ADDED TO LIST: http://www.phila.gov/historical/Documents/Amendment%20to%20Historic%20Street%20Paving%20District%202014.pdf

  • Civic Groups Map: http://gsg.phila.gov/map#id=fa011ca0d2df46b0acb9ed35537dca21 (helps locate local civic groups for historic streets)

• Jan 2015: The Streets Department's Historic Streets Assessment Report http://www.philadelphiastreets.com/images/uploads/documents/Historic_Streets_Assessment_Report.pdf
• Historic Streets Plumbers' Ditch Restoration Pilot (ends Dec 2014) http://www.philadelphiastreets.com/highways/historic-streets/historic-streets-plumbers-ditch-restoration-pilot/
• To add a street to the "Philadelphia Historic Street District":  Call the Philadelphia Historical Commission at 215-686-7660.  Address: One Parkway, 13th floor, 1515 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102 / Website: http://www.phila.gov/historical/Pages/default.aspx

TOP 4 PSSS PROPOSALS:
 

1. RESTORATION PRIORITY LIST:
Also see May 13, 2015 - PSSS Suggested Restoration Priority Street List

PSSS’s Priority Criteria for historic street restoration: LCCL

• Location: Begin restorations with in the center of the city and its historic districts and then radiate outwards.
• Context: Select streets that are lined with historic homes, not back alleys, side streets, and new construction.
• Condition: Target streets that are in urgent need of repair and restoration.
• Logistics: Restore streets in geographic clusters when at all possible.

NOTE:  Developers should be required to restore onsite historic streets as part of the permit approval process by the city.

2. PREFERRED CONSTRUCTION DESIGN:

The Streets Department should adopt something similar to the Netherland's model (see http://tiger-stone.com/) of the following:

·      NETHERLAND'S ROAD FOUNDATION: 15 inches of pulverized concrete (although we prefer "modified aggregate"), on top, 2-6 inches of sand of good quality, not like the sand on a beach, (we prefer "screening"), rather than the Streets Dept current standard of an 8-12 inch concrete base and mortar. (the emphasis in the email using highlighting, underlining, and bold print is ours)

From: Alex Molenbroek To: 'Lynn's mail' Sent: Monday, June 04, 2012 16:12 Subject: RE: english please - question about base  Dear Lynn,  In the Netherlands we use 15 inches of concrete debris ( pulverised concrete) and on top 2 to 6 inches of sand ( of good quality, not like the sand on a beach…) In a lot of countries the use stabilized sand, this is a mixture with cement. The most important is that the base construction is solid so in the long term the road quality can be guarantied. We use sand on the last few inches because the ‘’old’’ stones are not likely to al have the same dimensions. The sand does have the compacted with a compacting plate before paving the stones. If you wish more information please sent a picture of the stone and perhaps of the intended road. We have just finished 9 miles of historic roads in the east of the Netherlands, some pictures are on our website. I can also give you pictures of the surface below the bricks and how we prepare this surface.  Met vriendelijke groet, Alex Molenbroek, M&H Trading, Basielhof 81,  4907 AH OOSTERHOUT, M: 06 - 14276909 E  : a.molenbroek@tiger-stone.nl  W: www.tiger-stone.nl

·     SPACING, SMOOTHNESS, & ADA COMPLIANCE: The bricks and stones should be tightly set, and in some cases, stone pavers should be ground smooth in order to make walking and biking safe and easy, and to be compliant with The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). See NYC Historic Districts Council shares these concerns in a report  and NYT article: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/30/nyregion/time-is-past-for-many-of-citys-old-cobblestones.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1 or (doc)

·     SIDEWALK GRADIENT (i.e, slope): The restoration of historic streets should include in the bid contract a requirement that all sidewalk gradients be in compliance with Street Department standard of 1/4 inch per foot, and if such is not the case, curbs should be reset to be in compliance with that standard.

The case AGAINST "concrete foundation & mortar" and FOR “modified aggregate and screening”:

VARIOUS RESTORATION REPORTS AND EXAMPLES:

• Netherlands: TigerStone http://tiger-stone.com/ (paver installation company). From a Tiger-Stone representative, "In the Netherlands we use 15 inches of concrete debris ( pulverized concrete) and on top 2 to 6 inches of sand ( of good quality, not like the sand on a beach…) In a lot of countries the use stabilized sand, this is a mixture with cement. The most important is that the base construction is solid so in the long term the road quality can be guarantied. We use sand on the last few inches because the ‘’old’’ stones are not likely to al have the same dimensions. The sand does have the compacted with a compacting plate before paving the stones."
   
• DUBLIN, IRELAND: PAVING THE CONSERVATION OF HISTORIC GROUND SURFACES
   
• From Davenport, Iowa: "We generally use six inches of 95% proctor compacted ¾” down (with fines) crushed stone material for the base, with about 1” of sand on top of that. We vibrate the bricks into the sand, then sweep more sand over the top and vibrate again to get the sand to fill the gaps between the bricks. On hills we mix in 1 part mortar to 3 parts sand to prevent the sand mixture from washing away."
• From Willmette, Illinois: "This work shall consist of removing existing bricks in streets at various locations determined by the ENGINEER; removal of the existing deteriorated stone base to a depth of 6 inches, placement of a new 6 inch CA 6 base (CA is crushed aggregate), a 1 inch sand layer and replacement of the bricks."
  • Brick Pavement Repairs, 6 inch Stone Base: used for brick repairs , with settlement
  • Brick Pavement Repairs, 13 inch Stone Base: used for brick repairs , with a lot of settlement
• Portland, Oregon: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/article/7... Streets are excavated to full depth, about 13 to 18 inches below top of curb. Drainage geotextile fabric is placed on the ground surface, and a layer of 2”-minus rock drainage blanket 6-10 inches deep is laid on top of the fabric and compacted. ... The permeable pavers are then installed on the leveling bed. The space between paving blocks is filled with the fine rock, and rock and pavers are compacted. (Lynn Landes:  We don't agree with using geotextile fabric as it interferes with excavation for repairs, and also interferes with subsidence, which acts as an early warning system for the formation of catastrophic sinkholes.)

MORE ON HISTORIC RESTORATIONS:

• 200 block of Jessup Street, Philadelphia:  Historic Assessment and Recommendation Report: October 2010, 200 block of South Jessup Street by Milner + Carr Conservation.  Jessup Street was restored in 2012.  The results of the work done was somewhat predictable, as the Streets Department insisted on laying a concrete base against the report's recommendation of modified aggregate for the foundation. In general, the restored streets by contractor Spaventa & Sons (http://dspaventa.com), look great (200 blocks of Jessup and Warnock, 1300 blocks of Cypress and Panama). However, the mortar between the bricks is crumbling in some places, the streets are not porous and are therefore holding water, and the Belgium blocks are placed too far apart for safe and comfortable walking and riding (in cars or on bikes). On Jessup Street there is a new crack straight across the road just next to our house (217), breaking one of our old granite gutter stone in half. We believe that the crack is the result of the concrete being laid in one continuous stretch and encompassing all the street elements, not allowing for any breaks and therefore no 'give'. That said, the restored historic streets look really good.
• Nantucket's Cobble Streets Timeline
• Washington Place, Troy, NY:
  • http://duncancrary.com/news/2010/07/19/hist...
  • http://www.albany.com/whatsnew/2010/08/wash...
  • http://wpa-troy.org/
• O & P Streets, Georgetown, DC:
  • http://www.thegeorgetowndish.com/thedish/an...
  • http://www.thegeorgetowndish.com/thedish/gr...
  • http://dc.gov/DC/DDOT/Projects+and+Planning...
  • http://www.dcpreservation.org/http://www.pr...

"The Green Street "program:

LINKS:

• https://beta.phila.gov/media/20160504172218/Green-Streets-Design-Manual-2014.pdf
• http://www.phillywatersheds.org/what_were_doing/green_infrastructure/programs/green_streets  Also see video http://www.phillywatersheds.org/new-video-philadelphias-first-porous-street. 
• We found important details about the Percy Street project in this article,  http://www.southphillyreview.com/news/Percy-Street-goes-porous-122194513.html?printView=y, which states,  "their (new) block contains eight inches of porous asphalt, a material that will allow rain to seep through the pavement to soak into a nearly 30-inch layer of stone... (and then) line the curb with an impermeable plastic liner to prevent water from migrating back toward houses uses...".

CONCERNS:

• asphalt is a toxic material and not "green" in any meaningful sense - http://www.nature.nps.gov/hazardssafety/toxic/asphalt.pdf
• asphalt also presents many of the same problems presented by concrete - see above
• The Percy Street model creates a cistern under the streets, using clean stones and lined on either side of the road with plastic, that they claim will protect nearby basements from water damage.  However, we are concern that it is a fatally flawed design concept.  Typically plastic liners, even landfill liners, are only 1/10 of an inch thick and are vulnerable to cracking and breaking due to heat and cold, wear and tear. Our preliminary research shows that buried "impermeable" plastic liners only last from 15-20 years. Not good news for homeowners. http://www.gfredlee.com/Landfills/SubtitleDFlawedTechnPap.pdf 
• according to the video above, the Percy Street model seems to discourage use of trees on small streets
• Pete Riley, Design Unit, Philadelphia Water Department may be a good person to contact for addition information

3. PLUMBERS PATCHES SEE PHOTOS: These are an unnecessary waste of the city's time, money, and effort.  Historic pavers are designed to be picked up and placed back down again. Currently, contractors can fill their ditches on historic streets with asphalt, leaving behind an unsafe and unsightly mess for the city to clean up. Contractors who dig into city streets should be required to put the street back as they found it (historic or not).  This is more easily done on historic streets if contractors don't have to drill through a concrete foundation.

UPDATE 1/15/16 (Unfortunately, the following program still allows for plumbers patches).  MAY 2014: Good news. One of our main goals is to stop unsightly "plumbers patches". A pilot program to allow homeowners to contract historic street restorations through their plumbing contractors will run from July to December 2014.  Residents will save $450 on their permits. Previously, plumbers felt that they had to pour an asphalt or concrete patch. Homeowners had to wait years for the city to get around to restoring the patch, which rarely occurred. Now, homeowners have the option to contract for the restoration work to be done immediately.  So, congratulations to everyone. We think that this is a good first step toward putting an end to unsightly "plumbers patches", and it wouldn't have happened without your support. Thank you!  Now we need to put an end to plumbers patches permanently.  They are blighting our community and wasting taxpayers dollars. What's the point of restoring a historic street if the very next week a contractor can pour a plumbers patch, as happened with the newly restored 200 block of Warnock Street in 2012!

• See link: http://www.philadelphiastreets.com/highways/historic-streets/historic-streets-plumbers-ditch-restoration-pilot/ (Pilot was to end Dec 2014)
• See Plan Philly article: http://planphilly.com/eyesonthestreet/2014/05/20/historic-street-repair-pilot-program-starts-in-july

4. SNOW REMOVAL AND CITY CODE: 2016 PSSS emails to Mayor Kenney - http://www.smallstreetsphilly.org/MayorKenney&SnowRemoval.htm

Hi all - Although the Streets Department directs property owners to shovel snow from their sidewalks, 6.5 wide streets are allowed to do things differently.  Please read below our advice for snow removal. This is a HEALTH & SAFETY issue, as emergency vehicles must be able to access our small streets! 

For heavy snow storms and small approximately 6-7 foot wide streets - SHOVEL THE STREET, NOT THE SIDEWALK!  We first shovel the street and a path to our door, then do the sidewalk - if there's room to put the snow.  Although it's in violation of city code, the Streets Department says that it is okay for streets that are 6-7 feet wide.  Logistically, it’s about the same amount of area to be shoveled. Even for streets that are 12 feet wide, residents also have to shovel out their cars, so it still comes to about the same area. Also, don't forget to clear debris from your sidewalks, curbs, and particularly storm drain grates before any major snow or rain event.  Otherwise you risk flooding your street.

Right way (left) and wrong way (right), See all 16 PHOTOS (2014 winter) on our meetup page -  http://www.meetup.com/The-Philadelphia-Society-of-Small-Streets-PSSS/photos/25930321/434622333/#434622889.  

(We have expressed our concerns about this situation to the Streets Department for several years now. See: 2010 Philadelphia Inquirer article: http://articles.philly.com/2010-02-12/news/25219452_1_shovel-sidewalk-jessup-neighbors/)

This is a matter of health and safety.  We must have a timely way to allow for emergency vehicles, residents' vehicles, and pedestrian traffic on our small streets after a snow event, therefore:

For property owners on small streets measuring approximately 6.5 feet wide, we ask that the CITY CODE be amended to direct those property owners to shovel snow from their half of the street (to the center line, approximately 3 1/4 feet) in front of their house, plus a 3 foot wide path to their doors. Currently, all property owners are required to shovel a 3 foot path on their sidewalk.

The advantages of the PSSS suggested method:

• requires minimal additional effort on the part of property owners
• frees up the sidewalk to hold the cleared snow, particularly critical to small streets in heavy snow events
• gives property owners the responsibility to clear the snow in a time manner, thereby allowing for foot & car traffic, and the disabled
• saves tax dollars by relieving the Streets Department of the responsibility of clearing snow from hundreds of small streets (6.5' wide)

Disadvantages of current City Code for small streets:

• City Code is contradictory and unworkable for heavy snow conditions. Residents are required not only to clear a 36-inch path of snow from their sidewalks, but also not put any snow into the street. For small streets and big snow events, this is an impossible requirement to comply with, offering no place to hold the snow.
• Most residents put priority of removing the snow from their sidewalks, and throw the snow into the streets, thereby blocking their streets with several feet of snow and creating a safety and fire hazard.  

February 2015:  Recently, we were told by the Streets Department that it is too difficult to change the City Code, but that residents of small streets will not be ticketed if our sidewalks are not cleared. Unfortunately, this policy leaves 'both our sidewalks and streets clogged with snow' until City snow removal equipment arrives, which it often doesn't. At least for the sake of the disabled and pedestrian traffic, small street residents should be subject to the same snow removal requirements as other city property owners.  We are just asking for a different location - instead of shoveling the sidewalk, shovel the street.  The area to be cleared is almost exactly the same.

Please contact Councilman Mark Squilla and Streets Commissioner Keith Warren and ask that the City Code be amended as we suggest above.

Mark.Squilla@phila.gov  (Chair of Streets Committee on City Council)
Keith.Warren@phila.gov (Streets Commissioner)

Jan 2015:  Snow, salt, streets, and electrocuting dogs:  This is slightly off-topic. There was a problem last year with dogs getting electrocuted, mainly at some cross walks.  It appears that the snow/water/ice and salt combined with underground electric current, causes dogs to get electrocuted.  People with rubber shoes don't feel it, usually.  We and several others called PECO and Streets.  Supposedly, the problem was fixed.  However, we can still detect current with our EMF monitor, so we'll see. (Jan 2015)

LASTLY, just wanted to add that we use a floor-grade squeegee, like the one below, to remove snow from our street and sidewalk.  It works great!
 

OTHER ISSUES:

• Historic curbs conservation: Currently, the Historical Commission only has control over the flat surface of these historic streets. Historic curbs should be protected as they are integral to the structural design of historic streets.
   
• Accidental paving: The Streets Department should check first with the Historical Commission that a street is not designated part of the historic cartway before crews pave it.
   
• Private financing: There should be an official protocol in place for residents to contract out to reclaim their streets with either their own funds or through grants. At the current rate of repair, it will be 70 years before all the streets are fixed. April 2014:Good news!  The Streets Department has indicated that it will consider allowing private financing, although an official policy is not yet in place. Residents should contact the Streets Commissioner directly if their want to pursue this course of action.
   
• Public information: April 2014: Good news! The PHC has put more information online (see Gov't Doc Links at top), although we (PSSS) still have links to more information that the PHC, such as a map of the historic streets.
   
• Public meetings and input: This should be standard practice. Public meetings should take place in a timely manner on which streets get restored, how, and in what order. April 2014:  Good news! Last year (2013) the Streets Department did contract out a survey of all the historic streets.  And in April the Streets Department met with our organization.  It was a very satisfying experience.  More work to do, of course...
   
• Resident crews: The Streets Department should consider certifying residents to do their own minor street repairs.
   
• Weight limit: There should be a posted signs with a weight limit for heavy vehicles.
   
• WEEDING STREETS SAFELY!    In terms of weeding, the best thing to do is to use a watering can to saturate the plant matter with 5% undiluted household vinegar that you can purchase at many grocery stores.  Apply in the evening when there is no prediction of rain for a few days.  It takes about 3-5 days to see the final results.  Re-apply as necessary. Most commercial herbicides are toxic to people and the planet. 

SIDEWALK RESTORATION:  We strongly advise residents with substandard or concrete sidewalks to consider restoring them with historic brick.  We and four of our neighbors did that in 2012 when our street was restored and it has made the street look beautiful and very historically authentic.  We got our bricks from http://www.phillyprovenance.com/.  

In our experience (the 2012 Jessup / Cypress / Panama / Warnock Streets restoration), where the contractor needed to remove bricks and sidewalks in order to restore the street, the contractor also put them back, at no expense to the homeowner.  That is clearly the situation on Philip Street.  The collapse of the street has caused the collapse of the sidewalk.  However, if the sidewalks and curbs (including driveway "curb-cuts") were already in bad shape, and not caused by the street, then the homeowner 'could' (not necessarily 'would') get charged for any repairs made by the contractor.  In 2012, at first the Streets Department said that residents needed to hire their own contractors.  But then they relented, in that the logistics and logic of the situation called for the on-site contractor to make any additional repairs individual property owners would require.  We can't give any guarantees that this will be the policy going forward, but that was our experience.

REPORT MAJOR SUBSIDENCE AND/OR POTHOLES TO 311:

If you have a safety hazard, you should immediately notify the Streets Department - http://www.phila.gov/311/form/Pages/default.aspx or call 3-1-1 (215-686-8686) Save the reference number if you need to follow-up. Always state on the form if your street is historically designated, part of the Philadelphia Historic Street Paving Thematic District, and therefore asphalt should not be used.  An inspector will be sent out.  Often the Water Department needs to get involved.  Follow up with them at  http://www.phila.gov/water/aboutus/Pages/ContactUs.aspx - using the General Inquiries number (215-685-6300) and speak with a representative, who should also give you a tracking number.  Other utilities might also get involved.  Just keep following up with the various entities until the complaint is fixed. Tenacity is often required.  You can also contact PSSS and we will assist you.  Our contact information is at bottom of this page.

A Brief History of: Commercial Old City ... Small Streets by Carol Moore http://www.oldcitydistrict.org/discover/a-brief-history-of5

NEWS:

• https://www.historicalbricks.com/blog/2017/09/11/numerous-cities-now-recognizing-advantages-brick-streets/
• http://planphilly.com/eyesonthestreet/2014/05/20/historic-street-repair-pilot-program-starts-in-july
• http://planphilly.com/articles/2013/08/15/pilot-gives-historic-street-property-owners-more-restoration-control
• http://planphilly.com/articles/2012/07/09/look-down-historic-street-paving-thematic-district
• Go to "Wood Streets" to find articles on Camac and wood streets elsewhere.
• Go To Blue Streets to find article and list of Blue Streets
• NY Times: article about controversy over making historic streets safe for pedestrians and bicycles -- http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/30/nyregion/time-is-past-for-many-of-citys-old-cobblestones.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&
   

OTHER RESOURCES--

Small Streets
Phil LaCombe, Director and Co-Founder
email: phil@smallstreets.org
web: http://smallstreets.org
mobile: 413.648.7445

Paul Daniel Marriott & Associates
3140 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Suite 804
Washington, DC 20016
info@historicroads.org
http://www.historicroads.org

Links and information for maintenance and construction:

• Vegetation between pavers: Please do not use herbicides on streets and sidewalks. Instead, apply full-strength white vinegar in a spray bottle or watering can. Use vinegar at the end of a hot day, so that it will not quickly evaporate.
   
• Reclaimed brick for sidewalks, etc.: Provenance - Old Soul Architectural Salvage, see  http://www.phillyprovenance.com/  
   
• Brick and stone street restoration company: Pavement Savers Inc., uses radiant heating technology - http://smoothroads.com/psi/brick-street-res...  (also see:  http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2006-07-...)

Contractors for restoring sidewalks and streets as recommended by PSSS members:

• Olivieri and Associates Inc. http://www.olivieriandassoc.com/ (Philip Street restoration contractors, 2018)
• Spaventa & Sons (http://dspaventa.com) (Jessup, Warnock, Panama, and Cypress Streets, 2012)
• Artistic Masonry 610-931-1375 cyock74@hotmail.com
• Daniel Monroy 215 888 8471

PRESS LINKS:(for information and comments you may want to send)

http://planphilly.com/contact-us    
eyesonthestreet@planphilly.com  
editor@pressreview.net  
swischnowski@phillynews.com  
isaffron@phillynews.com  
hoffman@cbs3.com  
fox29.newsdesk@foxtv.com  
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/send-feedback / (Channel 10)
Channel 6 – text 1-866-639-7749 and http://6abc.com/news/contact-action-news/44756/ 

Lynn and Cliff Landes, founders
The Philadelphia Society of Small Streets (PSSS)
http://www.smallstreetsphilly.org/
http://www.meetup.com/The-Philadelphia-Society-of-Small-Streets-PSSS/
217 S. Jessup Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
LynnLandes@gmail.com
215-629-3553
www.LynnLandes.com