For more than two years, 5 On Your Side Investigators have been tackling problematic Cleveland streets with our investigation "Broken Roads, Broken System."
This time we're looking into Enterprise Avenue on Cleveland's west side.
"What do you think about this street?” we asked.
“I think it's terrible,” said Joshua Grove.
"I think it's ridiculous,” Justin Vercella told us.
They are two guys who work on one painful street: Enterprise Avenue off W.130th Street.
"It is a safety hazard. It damages vehicles, I mean, there's a lot of issues with it,” said Grove.
The guys said the issues have been growing for years and the city keeps kicking the problem down the line and kicking it again.
"Just pushed off onto the sidewalk,” said Vercella while looking at huge chunks of asphalt just sitting on the nearby sidewalk.
Cleveland city council members are concerned about how the city is handling roads, in general.
"We're clear that our streets are messed up,” said Councilman Basheer Jones from Ward 7 during the recent city budget talks.
"Some of the streets that you did for me about 2 or 3 years ago, they're starting to come apart,” said Councilman Kevin Conwell from Ward 9.
"I would (grade the streets) for a lot less money than whoever you're paying and it would probably be more accurate," said Councilwoman Dona Brady from Ward 11 during that same budget hearing.
"It's one of the most important things because it's the one thing that every single resident uses every day," said Councilman Brian Kazy after we caught up with him in his neck of the woods Ward 16. Enterprise Avenue is in his ward.
"I'm glad to see that the city is prepared to move forward in getting the streets done," he told us. That's right. Kazy anticipates Enterprise Ave will be done in 2018. And not only that, Industrial Parkway also in Ward 16, which is very similar to Enterprise with many businesses, immense traffic load, and a whole bunch of problems, will be repaved, too.
Kazy acknowledged the safety factor, quality of life issue, and the potential for business.
"Coming in (to Cleveland) and this is their first impression of the city…” said Kazy.
It's good news for Grove and Vercella who've seen Enterprise's potholes filled by city crews 3 times just in the past few months.
"They patch it. They come back and patch it again. And the plows come, they gotta patch some more,” said Grove.
“Does that make sense to you? We asked.
“No,” he answered.
Public Works Director Michael Cox said the city administration’s list of recommended streets should be in the hands of council members by Friday.
We'll let you know if that happens.
