City Should Enact A Moratorium On Paving Over Brick Streets For Proposed Study

Brick "pavers" are a special kind of brick. In some ways, bricks are better than some other materials. The bricks adjust independently of each other and don't get the cracks.

The Huntington (WV) City Council should enact a moratorium on paving over pre-designated city streets that are constructed of historic brick "pavers." This is necessary to preserve the history and character of our city. The designated brick streets should be included in a long-term plan for repair and maintenance.

There are other reasons to maintain the brick streets. Let's not forget the character and ambiance of neighborhoods. While brick street work is very expensive, very labor intensive, there is a heritage we wanted to preserve. If you overlay a street, you've got to overlay the whole street. If you protect and preserve a brick street, you are just fixing those areas that need repairs.

We encourage the Huntington City Council to consider an ordinance to place a moratorium on laying asphalt on any brick street until a study is done to identify those brick streets that should be retained as brick.