So that means that there will not be funding problem when a recycling coordinator comes in? Are there funds now available for a recycling coordinator? 1466 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005
Now, with respect to the pilot program again, now we have a pilot program for every-week recycling, right? What percentage of the City is covered by that?
The pilot program is now occurring in the Northwest section of the City as well as Center City. The genesis for that program, as you might remember, is that we came to City Council last year to --
Could I interrupt because I really do -- I'm not at this moment interested in that. I would like to follow through. What percentage of the City do you estimate is covered by the weekly recycling program?
About 80,000 households out of, say, out of 560,000 households.
Do you have any statistics that give us the percentage of residential recycling currently where the recycling is weekly?
No, no. I'm sorry, sir. 12 Give me one moment please. I'm looking at a table 13 and I'm answering a different question. That's 14 the wrong answer. 15 In order not to slow the process, can I 16 give you that answer after Council and provide it 17 in our response so I can give you an accurate 18 reflexion of all of our activity? Is that you 19 suitable to you? 20
May I give you an answer 22 after session so that -- I'm looking at tables and 23 I'm answering the wrong question. I do have the 24 answer here, but I do not want to delay your 25 proceedings with giving the right answer, and I 1468 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 don't want to give you the wrong answer either. May I give it to you even this afternoon or would you like for it to come in with the replies?
Getting information later usually makes the information worthless because you can't carry through with any thought. It's my opinion that it's very obvious that the recycling rate in a weekly collection is going to be vastly greater than in the twice-a-week, and I don't know why anybody needs a pilot program. If there's done twice a week, you got to remember which week is it, is it this week or is next week that we're going to put out the recycling. It places a great burden on households.
I think we could actually state surely tonnage has gone up which is what the Commissioner indicated earlier. And what will happen in May or June of this year was a full analysis of how that has changed in total, how our tonnage has changed as well as cost per unit to 1469 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 collect those tons. I'm looking for diversion rates, and I have the percentage changes in tonnage, but I was looking to give you the answer to the question that you asked.
Well, could we set up a meeting? I don't really -- Madam Chair, we could go on this, but this seems to me to be such an obvious thing that if you have single weekly collections rather than biweekly collections you're going to increase enormously.
And if you're really interested in the recycling program, it would seem to me that you would have moved quickly to get weakly collections, because then it's fixed in everybody's mind just like the trash collection. The idea of collecting trash and recycling in the same day is a great idea. I don't know why we all didn't think of it initially, but it makes it very easy for households to do both at the same time. And they can plan for it each week. I'd like to see us move into it right away because I think 1470 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 it's quite clear that you can't make recycling economically feasible until get it to a certain level, say, about percent is my understanding. 5 Is that your understanding? 6
What percentage of 8 recycling would be needed at the residential 9 level, say, to make it cost-effective. 10
If you mean in equaling 11 the number of tons per year, I'm not sure of that 12 answer right here and I gladly can find that for 13 you. 14 I do have the answer to the previous 15 question you asked about our diversion rate. In 16 the non-pilot areas, 1999, our the diversion rate 17 was 5.7 percent. 18
In the every other week 20 areas. That was a decrease of 4 percent. In the 21 pilot areas, where we have weekly collection, the 22 diversion rate is 8.9 percent. 23
8.9 percent versus 5.7 25 percent. 1471 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005
Seems to me to be a vast difference. Would the Streets Department -- you know, there's always been a question as to whether or not the Streets Department seriously supported the recycling program. And in the recycling community outside of the Streets Department, there is a very grave doubt that has been building and building for a long time. Would it be possible to bring together people from the Recycling Advisory Committee, the Solid Wastes Advisory Committee, the Streets Department and the community adherence and sit down and spend a couple of hours talking about these figures without getting involved, you know, at the budgetary hearings so we could get a cross-pollination of ideas and we maybe can put to rest the concerns in the community and get everybody supporting a program? Because there is lots of suspicion. When I believe that when the recycling law was first passed that Philadelphia was the first City in the nation that had a mandatory curbside collection that we led the country in it, and now we tail behind. Wasn't there a study recently that -- 1472 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005
-- nationally that indicated that Philadelphia was way down at the lower echelons of the City, and that's very disturbing because we ought to be out in front. And we can make it economically feasible if we give the program enough support. Would you be agreeable to kind of sponsoring the working together to make it possible to bring all the parties together?
Absolutely, Councilman. I think that the advocates for our environment within the Streets Department are fully supportive of that. In fact, recycling was occurring in the City even prior to there being a recycling office or program. The Philadelphia Streets Department was a front runner on recycling materials such as Christmas trees long before it even became a notion or fully supported within our government. So we would be glad to sit and work with any interested parties to try to move ahead with our program here.
Councilman Cohen, your time is up. Are you finished? 1473 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005
Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to talk about street repaving, and I know, Commissioner Moy, you knew I was going to bring this one up. I've been here four years, and four years we've been talking about Chelten Avenue and also Seymour Street from Green to Wayne and we've been talking about Mt. Pleasant, and I know that most recently there was some type of problem on Mt. Pleasant Avenue that you responded to. I think there was some buckle or something in the road, and buses and whatnot had to be detoured. Can you give me an update on the status of Chelten, Seymour, Mt. Pleasant? COMMISSIONER MOY: Yes, Councilwoman. On Chelten Avenue, that's a federal aid street, and I believe that's scheduled for this season in terms of construction. I'm sorry that it's been taking so long and I understand the frustration for getting that kind of federal program moving, 1474 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 but that project is scheduled for this construction season.
So what is season meaning? COMMISSIONER MOY: Well, from March through November. And I believe this is late spring or early summer, like maybe June, July in that time frame.
So by the fall, it should be competed. COMMISSIONER MOY: Yes, I would think so. It's in a group of other streets, but that's a logical time frame, yes. Seymour, I'm not certain what the dates are on Seymour. I'd have to ask our people. I'll to get back to you.
Okay. COMMISSIONER MOY: Mt. Pleasant is also a federal aid project which is 2001. I believe they did the repairs to kind to keep it safe, as you say, in the last few weeks. But that is a project that would be scheduled for next season.
So that means next March? 1475 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 COMMISSIONER MOY: Well, it will be next season. I don't know right now whether we can say March. We would try and get it as soon as possible, but it's something that we don't control directly in the City.
So season, I just want to understand. COMMISSIONER MOY: The season is generally as soon as the weather breaks, and they might start March 15th. Or if it's a bad winter, they might go to April 1 or something, but somewhere in that time frame they can start the prep work.
So we're spring-summer of 2000 and spring-summer of 2001. COMMISSIONER MOY: That's correct.
So Mt. Pleasant could possibly be started spring of 2001. COMMISSIONER MOY: Yes, and I'll try and keep you informed of the progress on Mt. Pleasant in the interim.
We really need to get more information on Seymour Street. I think when I asked you before, it had to do with some 1476 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 other work that needs to be done. I'm not really sure what the delay was because everything around in about Seymour Street was done, and that street was not done. It's two blocks -- actually, it may be three blocks primarily because some other work had to be done, but there's been no movement. I was just recently in that area and decided to drive down, and it's the same, it's absolutely the same. COMMISSIONER MOY: All right.
In fact, when we first started that, my daughter was in there elementary school. Now in high school, so that's how long it's been a problem. So I really would like to get that information. COMMISSIONER MOY: We'll get you an answer on that.
I want to talk a little bit about special services districts. What is the trash pickup schedule for a special service district?
The districts usually run along the same lines on whatever surrounding community is for trash collection. 1477 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005
So they don't get special pickups once a week or, I mean, every day? What does Center City get?
Center City Special Services District has collection once a week?
Oh, the businesses that you collect, okay. So whether you're in a Special Services District or not, trash pickup doesn't matter? I mean, it's still once a week?
That's correct. Say for the portions of the City, they have twice-a-week collection. 1478 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005
Okay. Because people are under the impression that with the Special Service District you get additional trash collection, and that evidently is not true; that's what you're saying?
Okay. Also, what about additional trash cans in a Special Service District?
We work with the Special Services District to address their needs and concerns. If they're concerned with regard to the number of cans we spoke with them to survey the district. In the commercial areas, we supply the cans and we'll service them. In some of the districts as well they work with us -- I shouldn't say some of them; all of them. Many of the cans they will empty as they clean their corridors and replace liners.
If they're cleaning every day and emptying the can, then that means there's bags of trash along commercial corridors all week if you only pick up once a week. 1479 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005
Yes. We service cans on multiple days of the week, but we only collect trash on normal trash collection day.
Germantown and Chelten is every day? Germantown Special Services District.
Every day. And in fact, on a couple days it may be twice a day because it gets so much -- there's a lot of abuse there. By abuse, I mean businesses are putting out their trash as well because they know that we come to collect the can and they know that we do it overnight so when close up at night you'll find non-trash can trash out at the corners with the trash can. You could find cardboard boxes and bags and many others matters and debris.
Okay. You know that I was a part of putting together the Germantown Special Services District.
There seems like there's trash receptacle -- trash can issue has been one that's been ongoing. I think they right now need additional cans between Germantown and Wayne on Chelten, so that's 100 up to 300 block of Chelten Avenue. You know, other groups up there are really working hard to help keep that area clean, but it's going to take a while. I mean, after all, in the Center City budget was great and our money is not even a drop in the bucket compared to what Center City has for their district. So we have people such as the Y and other groups of people that are helping out to try and impact the cleanliness of that district.
I think in that block, too, there may be some food vendors as well. So we will work with them to get the cans that they are supposed to have as well as we will survey for the cans that we should be putting out and we'll take care of that.
Can I ask one more question? 1481 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005
Basically, it's about whose responsibility is it for park lighting, like the various parks in the area? Who puts up their lights?
I'm Joe Doyle, City Street Lighting Engineer. It varies. The parks are owned by numerous different City agencies. The lights within those parks are sometimes owned by that agency or they overlap with two agencies. The Streets Department itself maintains some lighting in some parks. There's no clear simple answer to your question. Specifically, we know where our lights are on specific parts. If you have a location and you want us to look into it, we'll be glad to do that.
I know we requested you do a survey in one particular park. What I think I'd like to do is get a list of the parks in our area, only because a lot of these people that work in the park, different programs are coming to me to ask me to fund their lighting 1482 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 out of Capital money. And if that's your responsibility, I don't want to use my money to do that.
Well, it's difficult to answer. It may be Recreation, it could be Fairmount Park.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Madam Chair, can I just a follow-up on something the Councilwoman said?
Thank you. Commissioner, a question about something I've noticed occurring more so following up on what the Councilman said. I've noticed at various locations, especially on asphalt-covered 1483 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 streets, that the asphalt is starting to get like wavy. Giving a example of a location, Umbria and Leverington, when you make that right turn from Umbria Street to Leverington, it's like -- it's just incredible. The roadway is just got big waves in it. And I've noticed it now occurring in other locations throughout City. Is that result of tractor-trailer traffic or improper installation of the roadway surface? Are you familiar with this phenomenon I'm talking about where the asphalt just has just like waves in it? If ever negotiated that particular intersection, it is very, very -- you could actually -- if someone is exceeding the speed could actually lose control of their vehicle there. What's causing all that to occur? COMMISSIONER MOY: Well, there's something in asphalt that occurs frequently at bus stops or where you have trucks stopping there were you shoving or shovelling that occurs due to the breaking action. And it occurs more in the summer months as the asphalt gets soft. We'll take a look if you have specific locations.
That particular 1484 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 location is to the point where it's very, very dangerous, but I was just wondering what could be done. Why, and you answered the question. I was more concerned that the surface wasn't being prepared or the subsurface properly, but I could understand on the turn a heavy vehicle, and that's where a lot of our , I believe, Streets Department trucks use that back way out, and that might be contributing to it. Just wondered about that. Thank you. Thank you for the --
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
In keeping with that line of questioning, is there any evaluation given to the contractors who are successful in getting the bids through the Procurement Department for their quality of street work? If you receive a number of complaints about work that's being done by any one particular contractor or several and they continue to receive these bids, I mean, what coordination is there with the Procurement Department to see that they may not 1485 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 get the bid? COMMISSIONER MOY: There is a rating system that is used. As projects develop, there's a final rating of the contractor's performance. And this contributes to the decisions as to whether a contractor is qualified to bid again. If there's a series of unsatisfactory performances by a contractor, particularly in more than Streets, if we can get a series of departments, we have been able -- it's not easy, let me say this, to disqualify a contractor from bidding. But we have been able in certain situations to disqualify contractors.
Have you ever disqualified a contractor? COMMISSIONER MOY: Have we? Yes.
Based on the poor rating? COMMISSIONER MOY: Yes. Now, as I said, it's not easy because you must get some very, very strong documentation, understandably, to prove that someone is not able to perform the work.
Let me talk to you 1486 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 about this commercial trash pickup in neighborhoods, say, Fifth Street something, Wadsworth. At what point are these merchants required to have their own dump and at what point does the City pick up their trash?
The facilities that we service have to come into the volume and type requires for the materials that we pick up from households. So we pick up businesses to the extents that they can put out the same amount that households put out or the volume that we allow for households and put out similar type materials. Hairdresser shops and even food establishments that can put out the appropriate volume, which is no more than four cans or twelve bags. We allow them to have City collection. In all cases in Philadelphia, we have been lenient from time to time for people who on occasion need to put out a little bit more, not house clean-outs, but just a little bit more because of what may go on in an individual week. For businesses that need extra set out more than that on a regular basis, we ask them to move over to private collection and then they can 1487 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 have the volume that they need to set out collected and they can have the frequency that they need as well, something other than once a week.
I'm going to talk to you, not today, but I want to talk to you about Fifth Street. As you know, we have had increase in a number of wholesale businesses on Fifth Street, and there is a lot of trash that's being generated and I see City trash trucks picking up this trash. Of course, we have moved to curb the increase in the number of wholesale shops on that street because it's really a commercial strip and it's causing us a lot of stress on that street, not only in terms of the traffic volume with the tractor-trailers double parking and with the increase in trash and then lack of the ability of neighbors to purchase in those stores. So I want to talk to you more about that because there has to be some way to determine that they use private dumpsters.
The other question in keeping with that is the pilot sweep cleaning 1488 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 program that's going to start soon, I believe, in March.
At what point do you think that may go citywide. Because now people are picking up on it and they're asking me when -- I know the pilot hasn't started yet, not in my district but maybe some other district, do you see that this kind of cleanup program will be citywide soon?
This is a pilot program to determine whether or not it can really be successful in Philadelphia. It's a partnership program between the City and citizens. The City has installed numerous signs and poles to identify areas where we will be providing weekly mechanical cleaning. We're also providing education and enforcement for our sweep officers. What we're asking citizens to do is to move their car, to be more diligent with their sidewalk sweeping and cleaning, and place the recyclables and trash out on the right days so that we can do better job. Our hope is in the end between our partnership that the neighborhood is cleaner more beautiful, 1489 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 pride is developed. The way the pilot is designed right now based upon the input that we got from City Councilmembers in figuring out where we went to, we have maximized the resources that we have within the Streets Department in terms of mechanical brooms. So if the pilot were to be successful, we would have to evaluate how we would look to doing any expansions.
Councilman Mariano and Councilman Nutter and I constantly get complaints about driveways and neighbors who want to repair driveways, but we also know that a number of the driveways are used for trash public. Now, have you ever thought about -- has there been any discussion held around addressing the deterioration of the driveways?
The driveways are private property and we're there at the consent of the private property owners. These driveways are used by any number of vehicles, whether it be cars, oil delivery trucks, as well as trash trucks. Whenever there is a concern by the citizens that the trucks are doing damage to the driveways, we have asked our Highways Department to investigate 1490 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 it analyze it. If there's a real issue or sometimes even if there's not a real issue, we will vacate collects in the rear. Quite honestly, if I were to just look at the sanitation collection process, it's faster and safer for us to collect in the rear. However, as a system on a whole, it may be something that we have to look at to determine whether or not in future we should continue to do that if the driveways -- and many of these driveways are 40 to 50 years old at this point -- if there's some concern that there may be deterioration to the those driveways because of trucks or other vehicles that travel on them.
It's more of a request as opposed to a question. The other day we had the Police Department in, and we get a lot of complaints about tractor-trailers, large tonnage trucks parking on residential streets and also school buses that are being parked illegally on residential streets. The Police Department will say to us or to the individual making the complaint that there are no-truck-parking signs. Your department will tell us that there is no need for a no-truck-parking sign or no-bus-parking sign 1491 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 because the state law or the code requires that trucks over a certain tonnage should not be parked on residential streets and school buses can only park in the school bus zone. All I'm asking in more than a question is what better coordination you can have with the Police Department to keep them informed of the code so that we can get them to enforce the no-parking in residential areas of tractor-trailers? And I pointed out Stenton Avenue. It's not for you to enforce, it's just that there needs to be a better exchange of information between the Streets Department and the Police Department in terms of what the law requires.
As far as specific locations and the interpretation that we have of the codes, we will convey that information to the Police Department if we know that they're interpreting it wrong or what we think is wrong. A bus, whether it's a school bus or a regular commercial bus, is only allowed to park in a bus zone that's been authorized for them to park. They're not allowed dollar to park in a residential street at somebody's house while 1492 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 they're wait to pick up kids that afternoon or something like that. A truck prohibition, we can post -- a sign is required for a truck prohibition. Again, we can post no truck parking 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. within a hundred feet of a residential location. For to us prohibit parking 24 hours a day requires a specific ordinance for that block. We also receive complaints regarding trailers that are not attached to a tractor, and that may also be a boat trailer which is not attached to a car. They are not vehicles. If they're on the street for more than hours, they 15 are illegal and they're abandoned. Again, we can 16 convey that information specifically to the 17 district if someone lets us know where they're 18 talking about. We normally ask, though, that 19 especially for boats that the complaintee talk to 20 the community relations officer at the district so 21 that you don't have two neighbors going head to 22 head that you'd have a police officer involved in 23 it. But we would be glad to inform the captain or 24 community relations officer of any district.
Well, I think it 1493 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 just should be uniform piece of communications to the Police Department, period, without having us having to call because to let them know what the law is and so they can pass it on to their officers because we are constantly, you know, writing you and complaining to you about these and you'll say, "Well, you don't need a sign. And we say, "Well, the Police Department is saying there's no sign there so they can't enforce the law unless there's a no-truck-parking sign ther or no-bus sign there. It's very frustrating.
We'll convey that information to the Police Department through their chain of command.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Commissioner, you or one of your staff called to our attention a new initiative tire roundup, and I want to seize the moment to 1494 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 register for the record and for your department one area of the City I know Councilwoman Blackwell worked on diligently even while I was a resident of that area, and that is Mantua Avenue from 34th that runs up to 32nd and Spring Garden. Can you tell us if there's been -- my experience was that there was always a disconnect with Conrail. Conrail saying, no, that's the City's property; and the City's saying, no, that's Conrail's problem. So what improvement, if any, has happened with regards to that area of Mantua Avenue? Because that was a heavy tire-dumping area and the residents there, of course, were outraged. COMMISSIONER MOY: I believe that Drexel also took an effort in cooperation with Conrail and we helped with the cleanup there with Drexel along that same strip, if I'm not mistaken. I believe it may be Conrail's property, a good deal of it is. But it usually ends up as a partnership between the community and Conrail and ourselves.
Okay. Then so that strip will be added to this tire roundup 1495 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 initiative?
I may have not been clear about the tire roundup program. Citizens can cut the tires from any illegal dumping location. We don't tell them where to go. However, let's say a boy scout troop or block captains in the Mantua area want to participate in the cleanup, they can go to Mantua Avenue clean it up, bring us the tires and then we'll give them the money for it.
Brochures or whatever exist on that? Is it so new that you don't have printed material yet?
Okay. Could you please forward to the Chair so that Members of Council can get that?
Yes, the material will be ready for this year -- and we do announce it to the Councilmembers every year when we have the program. They probably will be ready in May.
Thank you very 1496 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 much. Thank you, Madam Chair.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Commissioner, let me run through a couple of things rapidly so we put you out of your misery. Commissioner can you coordinate with the Commissioner of L&I, who I know L&I will be coming up shortly. I have received over the years conflicting information about who is responsible for enforcement as it relates to dumpsters. There seems to be some level of cross-jurisdiction between Streets and L&I. It seems to revolve around whether the dumpster is in the street or whether the dumpster is on the pavement, but it has never been particularly clear who is responsible for what starting with the permitting process of the approvals as well as enforcement depending on what's going on with the particular dumpster. And I don't want to use up my precious few minutes trying to get a response to that. If 1497 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 you could have a coordinated, clear, detailed response, cite chapter and verse in the Philadelphia Code as to who's responsibilities for what that would be helpful. COMMISSIONER MOY: We'll do that.
Let me go back to street lighting for a second. It seems at times exceedingly difficult to get a new street light at a location that did not already have one. I'm not talking about a bulb burned out or defective light on pole. I'm talking about there may be three lights or three poles on a block and for whatever reason the neighbors believe they need more light. At times there's a pole available that doesn't have a light on it, but there seems to be a long arduous process. What is the policy of the Department to increase the number of lights on a street, first with a pole that's available, and secondly, without a pole? COMMISSIONER MOY: Do you want to go ahead?
Councilman, this is Joseph Doyle, Street Lighting Engineer. As a result of the decision that was 1498 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 made last year, some additional funds were provided for adding street lighting in the City. Right now, we do investigate the location and make a determination whether that light is appropriate there or not. And if it is appropriate and kind of practical, we'll install it.
Well, if there was a request for light that was, let's say, feet 12 from an existing street light, that's normally the 13 spacing on there would not really justify having 14 an additional light in that block. 15 One of the elements that we attempt to 16 do is uniformity. 17
That's why we would look at 20 the location and make determination whether it was 21 appropriate, either the specific location that was 22 asked for or somewhere nearby which would be a 23 better design. 24
Okay. Mr. Doyle, I 25 would like to put on the record that over the 1499 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 years from time to time we've had exceeding difficulty getting responses back when letters have been written with regard to street lighting requests. I was recently contacted by a constituent who represents the Umbria Street Neighbors Association. They wrote to us sometime last year. I wrote to the Commissioner last year and have not received, to this day, a response with regard to the request for a street light that would light up some steps in the Umbria Street area. I'd be glad to give you a copy. These are the Fountain Street steps. The Umbria Street Neighbors Association, it's a longstanding request. Recently Susan Syrnick (ph) on behalf of the Umbria Street Neighbors Association wrote to me asking what the response was. To the best of your knowledge and records, we've never received a response to that particular request. I'll give you a copy of those documents. I'd like to talk about traffic signalization and signs. Commissioner, can you give me a current status on the City's efforts to coordinate with Lower Merion Township and PennDOT to change the timing of the lights at the Green 1500 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 Lane Bridge and the Schuylkill Expressway? COMMISSIONER MOY: Charlie Trainor's on his way up here.
Councilman, regarding the PennDOT and Lower Merion Townships changing of the timing at Belmont Avenue and the Schuylkill Expressway, I have no knowledge as to where they're at on that. I believe they're waiting for a PennDOT contract to come through. They need to change the control box to accept a third program, which it only has two now. That's the best I can give on that. We can find out where it's at, where their project is.
Well, I'd appreciate an update. I mean is this a money issue? Is this a contracting issue? Why is this taking so long?
Councilman, it's a -- it could be a combination of them both. From what I understand, this is not just the intersection of Belmont and the expressway that they're looking at, they're looking at the full Belmont Avenue within Lower Merion Township to upgrade their traffic signals. And the last word I heard was 1501 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 that was where they were going to attach it to.
Have we offered to provide any additional support or funding to help assist in this particular project?
Councilman, no, because this is totally outside the City of Philadelphia. We would not be --
Well, what is the nature of our agreement with Lower Merion Township as it relates to traffic signalization on City Avenue? Don't we have an agreement with them either for operating or maintenance costs or the hard costs of signals on City Avenue?
The traffic signals along City Avenue from the intersection of Presidential Boulevard West are a shared responsibility as far as Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is concerned. We have taken the responsibility to operate and maintain the traffic signals along City Avenue from Presidential West while the Township pays the power for those traffic signals.
So if a signal goes out on City Avenue, whose responsibility is it to fix it? 1502 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005
They're an actual border street, they're halfway in the City and halfway out of the City. The traffic signal on City Avenue --
Well, if I stand at the intersection of City and Bryn Mawr in front of what used to be the Van Sciver or the Firestone Store, aren't I, in fact, in Lower Merion Township and isn't the signal that's on that corner, in fact, in Lower Merion Township?
And don't we fix it if there's something wrong with it?
So what is the difference between that signal and one on the Green Lane Bridge if you are standing on the other sides of the street, aren't you in fact in Lower Merion Township?
The signals on City 1503 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 Avenue are shared -- City Avenue is a border street.
The border of the City and the Township is the center of the street.
Don't we border right over there at Green Lane and Main, one side of the street ours and one side of the street is theirs?
Green Lane and Belmont is totally within the township. I was going to refer to the City Avenue and Schuylkill Expressway off-ramp. That signal there, the signal west of Presidential Boulevard --
That signal is totally within the township and it is their signal, it is not our signal.
I understand that. But the problems created by their signal clearly impact tremendously Philadelphians. Our own 1504 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 traffic study which we paid for told us that. So in the City, out of the City, border street, non-border street, in the reality of what happens out there, there is not that much difference between the signal at Belmont and the Schuylkill Expressway location and Green Lane and Main versus City and Bryn Mawr in the City or out of the City. We are still ultimately talking probably about 50 to 100 feet, right?
No, Councilman, you're talking a further distance than that and you're also talking about at Belmont Avenue -- or Green Lane, you're talking about two distinct specific intersections, whereas on City Avenue you are talking about one intersection where you have corners of that intersection and that signalization separate.
But Mr. Trainor, notwithstanding this discussion which could go on forever, you clearly understand that I am making the point that all of these areas are border areas. We share a border with Lower Merion Township. We have various agreements with them about signalization. And the fact that this 1505 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 particular location is solely within the jurisdiction and boundaries of Lower Merion Township does not negate any level of concern or responsibility on behalf of the citizens of the City of Philadelphia to get resolution to that particular problem. You wouldn't disagree with that, would you?
I will not disagree with that, sir, but the only thing we can do is what we have been doing in the past, which is to ask PennDOT and Lower Merion to move this along.
I'd like to get a specific answer to what the problem is. And if it is in fact a funding problem, I'd like to know the answer to that particular question; and then I'd like to know whose funding problem it is; and then like to know if funding was made available, how soon can the signalization change be made.
Thank you. What's the status of the installation of various stop signs and traffic signals at intersections in Philadelphia? These are all in 1506 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 Philadelphia, I can assure you. The various stop signs and traffic signals that have approved by ordinance of this City Council and signed by the various mayors of Philadelphia? What's the installation on those?
With the stop signs, the installation is within the next month. The traffic signals, we have had a contract that has been let and there will be installers as a part of that contract.
So all of the stop sign and traffic signal bills that were passed by this Council and signed by the Mayor are all being taken care of?
The stop signs should be installed by the end of the month, and I cannot give you a specific date on the signals, but the signals were a part of a contract that has been let, we have received bids on it. We have not -- we are in the process of awarding that contract and we have not started it. 1507 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005
Thank you. Commissioner, what is the Department doing to comply with Section 5-500d of the City Charter to institute and conduct an educational and public information program for the purpose of promoting the safety and unimpeded movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic? COMMISSIONER MOY: There is a program, Councilman, that we've worked with the Mayor's Office in terms of streets and pedestrians, and I'd have to check and get you a better report on the specifics. Is there something specific that you have in mind?
I'd just like to know what the Department is doing to be in compliance with the City Charter in that particular section. If you have materials, I'd like to see them. If they are promoted in different places, I'd like to know what the activity is. If there's an educational program, I'd like to see what that is. COMMISSIONER MOY: We'll check and get back to you.
The last question, 1508 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 Commissioner, is there's been a lot of discussion about retaining walls. Again, this question has been asked. I would like as much detail as possible, both in written form as well as in a map form, of a listing of every known retaining wall in the City of Philadelphia broken out by Councilmanic District. I'd like to know what information the department has compiled over the years with regard to complaints about those retaining walls, either any that have already been deemed dangerous or been condemned by the Board of Health or any other reports that you have about dangerous or damaged conditions of the retaining walls throughout the City. I'd like the department's estimate on what it would cost to fix those retaining walls and any other information you have with regard to driveways or blocked or damaged alleys in the same information, in format as the retaining wall information. COMMISSIONER MOY: We're preparing something along those lines, Councilman.
Great. Thank you very much. Thank you, Madam Chair. 1509 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen.
Just a few follow-ups. On paving the streets, what's the situation on Ogontz Avenue between Chew and Cheltenham where only the center areas were paved and the sides were not? Which makes traffic on Ogontz always extremely heavy because cars can only go in the paved areas. COMMISSIONER MOY: I believe that is a federal aid project, and I'd have to check on the specific status as to when and get back to you on that, Councilman.
Promptly. Thank you. Second, on the street signs, I'm coming back to the question of the signs on the corners of the street. You mentioned that in the Capital budget there is an appropriation for materials. How much is that appropriation and how many signs will that produce? COMMISSIONER MOY: I believe it's 1510 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 250,000.
Councilman, the appropriation in the Capital budget, I believe, is for $100,000.
Why? COMMISSIONER MOY: That was not our decision, Councilman.
Whose decision was it? 1511 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 COMMISSIONER MOY: We made a request to the Planning Commission of our budget, and the final outcome is $100,000.
What was it that the Streets Department requested of the Planning Commission? COMMISSIONER MOY: For this item it was $250,000.
Could you check that? Because I don't want to be dealing with them on a misnomer. How many signs did we bring budgeting for? 1500? It sounds to me like it would be about 4,000 on the 250,000.
$50 to $100 depending on whether we have to put a pole in. So there's two sets of signs, so it's $100 an intersection.
For each blank. We put signs up at mid-block intersections, four signs up 1512 2/22/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 at hundred change intersections.