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Letter On Grade Separation

Letter On Grade Separation image
Parent Issue
Day
27
Month
March
Year
1903
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

LETTER ON GRADE SEPARATION

Dean and Co.'s Letter in Yesterday Morning's Free Press

ORDINANCE ANALYZED

Grounds on Which Latest Injunction Was Asked; the Incurring of Liabilities Without Legal Authority

The following letter appeared in yesterday's Detroit Free Press:

To the Editor of The Free Press:

In your issue of the 24th inst. under the hea lines "Grade Separation - Ann Arbor Has Citizens That Oppose It," your Ann Arbor correspondent says, "On behalf of Dean & Co. et al. an injunction has been taken out by Atty. Gen. Blair against the city of Ann Arbor, which prohibits the city officials from incurring any obligation whereby the amount to be raised by general taxation shall exceed the charter limitation," etc.

As subscribers to and constant readers of The Free Press we ask space to answer the above and to state what kind of grade separation the so-called separation ordinance proposes to give to Ann Arbor. First, we desire to say that we are not opposed to grade separation. On the contrary, in common with all sensible people, we are in favor of it, but we are opposed to the mayor of the city attempting to create any liability without legal authority to do so, whether it be for so-called grade separation or any other purpose, which in this instance is being attempted under the claim that the effort is made for the purpose sf securing grade separation for the city, when we think it is simply an effort on this part to improve the grade of the Ann Arbor Railroad Co. at the expense of the taxpayers of the city of Ann Arbor, and to the great detriment and damage of the business and manufacturing interests of the city, without securing grade separation, but on the contrary rendering it almost impossible to secure that much desired end. A statement of the facts will make this perfectly plain.

The Ann Arbor Railroad passes through the city down the valley of Allen's creek, crossing State, Hill, Monroe, Madison, Jefferson, Main, Ashley, William, Summit, Cedar, Wright, Pontiac, Jones, and Traver streets.

This grade separation ordinance does not separate the grade on any of these streets; on the contrary, it authorizes the Ann Arbor Railroad Co. to raise its grade above the present street level 2.1 feet at Main, 0.2 feet at Jefferson, 6.9 feet at Ashley, 11.4 feet at William and 6.4 feet at Summit streets. This raise of railroad grade is to be accompanied by earthwork embankments, the taxpayers of the city being required to pay the expense of making approaches to them, and the damages accruing to the property which will be damaged, and the streets will cross the railroad track just as they do now, besides rendering it impossible to separate grades over those streets by bridging them, which can be done at present grade. Nor is this all. The ordinance authorizes the railroad company to lower its grade below the present level 2.2 feet on Cedar and Wright streets, 3.3 feet on Pontiac street and 3.1 feet on Jones and Traver streets - at points where the railroad crosses these streets, so there is no grade separation here. On the contrary persons must go down into a ditch to cross the railroad at these points, unless the taxpayers pay for digging down the bank on each side of the railroad track, and this will damage private property. You will note that there is no grade separation on any of the streets thus far named, but there is a heavy bill of expense saddled upon the taxpayers without resultant advantage to the city. This ordinance claims to provide for grade separation at Liberty, Washington, Huron, and Ann streets, Miller avenue and Felch street. Over Liberty street there is a heavy traffic from the country. At this point the ordinance diverts First street from the east to the west side of the railroad track, where the city will have to condemn and taxpayers pay for valuable private property for new streets opened on the west side of the railroad.

The closing of First street on the east side of the railroad track cuts off three city lots from First and all other streets, thereby depriving one of the largest businesses of the city from all connection with any street, all of which is for the benefit of the railroad company and not of the city. The ordinance does provide that the railroad company shall leave a passageway at this point "of 12 feet head room above present surface." Here grade is separated by a passageway of such height that when a farmer comes into the city over Liberty street with a load of of hay or straw he will have to get down on his load and lead his team through this opening. At Washington street a grade separation is secured by a passageway of 13 feet of head room and the right of the railroad company to cross Washington with one track on the present grade of said street. So there is no separation here.

At Huron street there is an opening of 14 feet head room to permit the D., Y., A. A., & J. trolley line to pass under the A. A. railroad track on the level. The charter of trolley line requires it to pass over the A. A. railroad by a bridge. On this street grade, separation is secured by the passage once an hour of a trolley car coming down steep approaches instead of the passage six or times a day of a steam car on a level grade.

Now we come to grade separation at Ann street. This street ends on the east line of the A. A. railroad company's right of way. There is no street west of the railroad track. The ordinance provides "that the viaduct at the foot of Ann street shall be constructed by the Ann Arbor Railroad Co. and the actual cost shall be paid by the city of Ann Arbor."

The taxpayers of Ann Arbor are asking the question: "Why should we be required to pay the cost of a viaduct (that the city attorney states will cost $25,000), when there is no street to cross and hence there can be no grade separation?"

At Miller avenue the headway is 15 feet under railroad track. At Felch street an opening of 12 feet headway is provided for, also "that the A. A. R. li. Co. shall have the right to cross said street with one track on present grade of said street." Again, there is no grade separation here. Charles street is diverted from its present location to the west side of the railroad company's right of way, to the drainage of property owners on the street. As this street does not appear to have any connection with grade separation, it is fair to suppose that the change is made for the benefit of the railroad company. For the common council to pass such an ordinance the city charter requires a concurrent vote of two-thirds of all the members elect. On the 29th September, 1902, when this so-called grade separation ordinance is claimed to have been passed, there were ten members of the council present, nine voting for the ordinance and one against it. The common council of the city of Ann Arbor is composed of 14 aldermen and the president of the council - 15.

DEAN & CO.,

Ann Arbor, March 25, 1903.