[Adopted 10-3-1938 by Ord. No. 516; readopted 10-8-1991 by Ord. No.
873 as Ch. 95, Art. I, of the 1991 Code]
The grade of the edge of sidewalks next to the curb, constructed
or laid in the Borough, shall be the curb grade of the street, except
in those instances where the Borough has, or may hereafter, established,
by ordinance, a sidewalk grade differing from that of the curb grade.
The sidewalk shall rise away from the curb at the rate of 1/4 inch
per foot.
The curb edge of the sidewalks shall be located immediately
behind the curb, except in those instances where the Council has,
or may hereafter, by resolution or ordinance, ordained that sidewalks,
in any one particular block, shall be at a fixed and uniform distance
back from the curb.
The subgrade of all sidewalk areas over which concrete sidewalks
are to be laid shall be carefully graded to a depth throughout to
permit at least four inches of concrete. It shall be tested with a
testing device riding on the curb and forms so as to be sure of uniform
depth. It shall be composed of earth, sand, or gravel, tamped well
so as to insure a proper support for the sidewalk. Before the concrete
is placed, care will be exercised to dampen the subgrade with all
the water that it will readily absorb so as to avoid the absorption
of water by the subgrade from the bottom layer of concrete.
A.
All sidewalks constructed or laid in the Borough shall be laid of
properly mixed concrete, using one part cement, two parts sand, and
three parts of broken limestone or clean gravel, thoroughly mixed
in a power-operated mixer using no more than six gallons of water
per sack of cement, all mixed for a period of at least one minute
after all the materials are in the drum of the mixer. The sidewalks
shall be five feet wide, except in those instances where Council has,
or may hereafter, by resolution or ordinance, ordained otherwise,
and four inches thick.
B.
In those portions of sidewalk areas in front of garages or where
it is proposed to unload coal by driving over the sidewalk area, the
sidewalks shall be six inches thick and shall be reinforced with steel
mesh weighing thirty pounds per square yard. Such reinforcement shall
be placed on proper holders or chairs so as to insure that the reinforcement
shall be uniformly two inches from the top surface of the six-inch
slab.
C.
The concrete shall be laid in with steel or wooden forms set to line
and grade. After the concrete is placed, it shall be smoothed and
struck off with a screed or float to a uniform cross section and carefully
checked so as to prevent depressions greater than 1/16 of an inch
in a ten-foot straight edge, after which it shall be given a roughened
surface by dragging a burlap sack lightly across the surface at right
angles to the length of the sidewalk.
D.
The sidewalk shall be constructed of monolithic concrete. No finish
or top coat will be permitted.
A.
Expansion joints shall be placed in all sidewalks, formed of premolded
filler so as to provide an expansion of 1/4 of an inch for 20 feet
in length of the sidewalk.
B.
When sidewalks are laid immediately adjacent to curbs, foundations,
poles, manholes or other fixed and permanent structures, the concrete
shall be separated from the structure by a premolded asphalt or cork
filler 1/4 of an inch in thickness.
C.
Construction joints, consisting of paper or tine or formed by spreader
plates, shall be placed at five-foot intervals in the length of the
sidewalk, except in those cases where expansion joints occur.
D.
In placing expansion or contracting joints, the joint material shall
be supported vertically and at right angles to the sidewalk by a metal
or wooden bulkhead, which shall be removed as soon as the concrete
has set sufficiently to permit a straight line for joint material.[1]
E.
If spreader plates are used to make the contraction joints, such
spreader plates are to be so devised as to maintain a straight and
vertical joint, fixed at right angles to the long axis of the walk.
As soon as the concrete has set sufficiently for final finishing,
the plate shall be withdrawn and the edges of the aperture formed
by removal of the plate shall be carefully edged as hereinafter provided.
F.
Both edges of all expansion and contraction joints shall be edged
with an edging tool having a one-eighth-inch radius, care being taken
to see that slivers of concrete are not permitted to bridge over the
joint.
G.
The edge of the sidewalk adjoining the curb and the back edge of
the sidewalk shall also be carefully edged with an edging tool of
one-fourth-inch radius, after which the mark of the edging tool shall
be brushed out with a dampened brush.
H.
After the sidewalk is laid and finished as above described, it shall
be covered with straw, burlap, or other water-holding material and
kept wet for a period of at least 48 hours.
I.
Calcium chloride or other hardening chemicals shall not be used in
concrete sidewalks.
