By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Two decades ago, when the red bricks were installed at the four corners of Wooster and Main as part of the Heritage 2000 project, they gave a distinctive look to the downtown.
“It was a beautiful addition to the character of downtown Bowling Green,” recalled Municipal Administrator Lori Tretter Monday evening.
Then as vehicles traveled over them, the bricks started shifting and breaking.
As they became lose, the city would fix them.
“Eventually, the problems would return,” Tretter said.
So the bricks were removed and the four corners area was paved over.
But city officials held out hope that one day the red bricks could be returned to the main intersection of the community. And it looked like that day was going to be sometime in the next couple weeks.
City officials asked engineers working on the downtown project to design a brick section that would have more longevity. The city was told that by using concrete bands around the brick areas, that the bricks would last longer.
However, it appears that not much has changed to help bricks maintain their place and shape when being continually run over by heavy vehicles. Despite initial plans that promised a different outcome, the contractor expressed concerns.
“He had installed a similar project and it wasn’t wearing well,” Tretter said. In fact, it was failing after only nine months.
So city officials have decided to nix the bricks.
The “silver lining” to the change is that the downtown construction should wrap up sooner than planned. Tretter said that should be welcome news to those in the community with “construction fatigue.”
City officials, however, are continuing to look for other options – such as stamped concrete to give character to the intersection. But they have been informed that installing stamped concrete this late in the year is not advisable, since the salt applied to slippery streets would damage the roadway if it did not have ample time to set. And not salting that intersection is not an option, Tretter said.
So for now, the four corners will be paved and striped, like any other intersection.
“I appreciate the fact that you thought it through carefully,” council member Bruce Jeffers said.
Also at the meeting, council member Mark Hollenbaugh asked about the brick sections being installed along the curbs downtown. He and others have noticed that some of the bricks don’t appear to be level with the concrete.
Public Works Director Brian Craft said he would check to see if there are problems.
“The same guy is putting them in that did 20 years ago,” Craft said.
In other business at the meeting:
- Parks and Recreation Director Kristin Otley reported City Park would be closed to vehicular traffic starting Monday, Oct. 28, possibly through Nov. 1, as the front section of the park entry is paved near the new building under construction. The park will be open, but people will need to walk there and avoid the paving. “It’s super exciting we’re to that point” in the construction, Otley said.
- Tretter announced that city engineer Mike Trinity has resigned to take a position elsewhere. The city will be advertising to fill the position.
- Ben Otley, representing One Community One School, thanked City Council for unanimously passing a resolution at its last meeting in support of the upcoming school issue on the November ballot. He thanked council for “recognizing the importance of this issue to the community and the economic development benefit it will have.”
