The Carlington Summit

Dear Mr. McClemens (Clem):

I am writing in regard to two issues you raised in "Clem's Corner", which appeared in the Carlington Summit in December 1995 and June 1996.

First, you asked about the yellow marks painted on many streets in the Carlington Community. l have made several inquiries on your behalf including the City of Ottawa Engineering and Works Department, Consumers Gas and the Regional Environmental Services Department. After investigating some of your neighbourhood streets, I came to the conclusion that you were referring to the yellow painted "T" markings which are painted at an approximate centre line of the roadway or off centre as the case may be. These markings appear on most of your neighbourhood streets as they do elsewhere throughout the City of Ottawa. Staff of the Regional Environmental Services Department confirm that the yellow markings are for the purpose of identifying catch basins and manholes on city streets. This is a City of Ottawa project and the markings are designed to promote easy access to catch basins and manholes in winter months. For additional or more specific information you may wish to contact the Sewer Branch of the City of Ottawa at 798-8892 or Councillor Karin Howard at 224-5365.

Second you asked if anyone had "noticed the street calming effect on Carling Avenue between Churchill and Maitland Avenues". Carling Avenue is indeed a regional roadway and staff of the Transportation Department tell me that the condition of Carling Avenue does not constitute traffic calming. The work undertaken is part of the rehabilitation of Carling Avenue which includes the portion from Woodroffe Avenue to Preston Street. This section of Carling is a rigid composite pavement structure comprised of an asphalt surface with a concrete base with transverse steel dowelled joints at 7.5 m. spacings. The problems encountered with these designs (1958-67) is the incidence of severe cracks and subsequent breaking and faulting at joints and cracks-causing deterioration in riding quality. The two main factors causing the pavement to deteriorate are traffic loadings and environmental conditions (i.e. excess moisture containing salt brine, frost-heaving, subgrade settlement and thermal cracking induced by temperature variation).

The specified method of repairing the deteriorated concrete and asphalt at the cracks and joints is to uniformly saw, cut, remove and replace the deteriorated materials with 2 or 3 lifts of hot mix asphalt. However, the repaired hot mix patches generally settle due to traffic loading. This settlement, in addition to other severe surface distortions and defects (oxidation etc.) preclude the placement of a smooth asphalt overlay of uniform thickness. Therefore, partial depth removal of the entire road surface using cold milling equipment with onboard computerized grade and slope controls is required.

Cold-milling eliminates the need for a levelling course of asphalt. The milled asphalt contains non-renewable resources and is recycled by the contractor into new asphalt and granular projects The final step in the rehabilitation process is to place one uniform lift of hot-mix asphalt over the entire milled roadway surface. This final step involves using paving machines also equipped with on-board slope and grade controls to achieve good drainage and rideability. When compared to reconstruction this rehabilitation is extremely cost effective.

I trust the above information answers your questions in connection with both issues. Please do not hesitate to call my office to inquire about a matter of regional interest. I can be reached at 560-1223 and would welcome your call.

Yours sincerely,
Wendy Stewart,
Regional Councillor

I think Wendy takes me a bit more seriously than I take myself - (Clem).