CAN YOU SAY SWISS CHEESE

MY FRIENDS

THIS IS AN ARTICLE FROM THE PLAIN DEALER, CLEVELAND'S MAIN NEWSPAPER, IT APPEARS IN ITS ENTIRETY, EXCEPT WERE NOTED:

IT'S CRAZY SCARY THAT THE EUCLID CORRIDOR AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS WILL STILL BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION WHILE WINTER IS FAST APPROACHING. AS IF A CLEVELAND WINTER IS NOT BAD ENOUGH, AN EXPECTED SHORTAGE OF SALT FOR THE ROADS, AND THE NORMAL DAMAGE THAT PLOW TRUCKS ARE KNOWN TO CAUSE TO OUR STREETS, WE NOW HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE MAIN STREET TRANSECTING CLEVELAND COLLAPSING BENEATH US.

WOW!!

The RTA plans to test concrete along seven miles of Euclid Avenue to see if it contains a chemical that could erode steel bars, causing the road to crumble.

Concrete samples will be taken from locations along the road and checked for calcium chloride, which is added to concrete to help it set faster. (A short cut to save money) The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Agency did not give approval for the chemical to be used in its recently unveiled Euclid Corridor HealthLine project, said Mike Schipper, deputy general manager of for engineering.

McTech Corp. of Cleveland did the work on the primary section of road under scrutiny, Schipper said. The $200 million HealthLine project provides transportation from Public Square through University Circle to the Stokes/Windermere station in East Cleveland.

During the project, Euclid Avenue was paved in three sections and each had a contractor, said Schipper. The sections were Public Square to the Inner Belt, from that point to just past East 79th Street and from there to the city limits.

Concrete from trucks and the road underwent several strength tests during construction. Schipper said 27 areas throughout the corridor did not conform to the standards, which is not unusual in a large project. They were or will be replaced. But no concrete was tested for additives, such as chemicals.

The only steel in the road are dowel bars at the expansion joints, which are about 100 feet apart, Schipper said. The bars are covered with epoxy to help protect the steel from corrosion.

RTA is testing for calcium chloride after allegations about its use were raised last month by WOIO Channel 19. (Carl Monday should be the Chief of Police, he is the best detective in Cleveland)

At issue is the concrete supplied in the Public Square section. Perk Co. was the primary
contractor on that stretch and its subcontractor was McTech. TTL Meadows Group tested the quality of the concrete. A Plain Dealer investigation in September showed family business connections among the three firms.

RTA's construction management consultant, Washington Group International, reviewed the concrete pours by checking documentation and found no evidence calcium chloride was used, RTA General Manager Joe Calabrese said in an e-mail sent Friday to business and community leaders.

Schipper said concrete samples of four inches in diameter and 10-feet deep will be taken from the entire project and it will not affect traffic flow along Euclid Avenue. He expects them to be sent to a lab within days and take two weeks for results. (A lot of SH*T can fall into a 4 inch, 10 foot hole randomly taken out of the street throught the city, that can also add to the corrison of the street. It used to be Caveat Emptor: "Let the Buyer Beware" but how about Cleveat Drivemptor: "Let the Driver Beware".