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Cleveland Mayor's Challenge: News 5 finds even more problems with $600,000 city streets report

Posted at 7:23 AM, Jul 05, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-05 12:20:29-04

"Maybe you should search a little bit more, and you might find more and then you can give it to me," said Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson after we pointed out problems in the most recent pavement management study that grades the condition of every city street. 

We have accepted his challenge, and we are finding even more issues with the study, commissioned by the city and done by Michael Baker International, that cost taxpayers $600,000.

MORE: News 5 accepts Cleveland mayor's challenge

We hit the streets and found multiple segments rated 100, despite the roads not being perfect. 

For instance, the city's study revealed Otter Avenue on the east side is rated a perfect 100. 

"Well, I almost lost a tire," said Marc White, who works right beside Otter Avenue. He drives that street frequently and can't believe the city considers it a perfect street. "This wouldn't be the first time taxpayer money went to something that wasn't correct,” White said.

Tim Holt is also angry about his street, East 123rd Street from Iowa Avenue to Taft Avenue. It, too, is rated 100, but it has many problems.

"It's not a perfect street," Holt said. "They haven't been here to pave it or anything. They just fill in the cracks.

"It makes no sense," he continued. "They should be doing they dag gone job! And when we hit the chuckholes and everything else, they won't fix it."

The big problem is that when it's time to review what streets need to be repaved, a road already rated 100 will get passed over. 

MORE: On Your Side Investigators debunk new $600,000 Cleveland roads report

"Look for yourself," Holt pointed out. "It's nothing but patches everywhere all down the dag gone street."

East 84th Street from East 83rd Street to the end of the road was also rated 100 in the study. But we found numerous problems including a sewer grate filled with asphalt.

"It's unfortunate again and again and again,” White said.

"Get on the ball and do your job,” Holt said about his message to the City of Cleveland.

Each time News 5 has gone out and spot-checked the study, we find more and more inaccuracies.

On Your Side Investigators have again contacted the mayor's office for a response to the many problems News 5 has found with the taxpayer-funded roads study. We have not heard back.