On July 1, a large sign was erected three miles from my home by the state's department of transportation. A 'friendly' sign implying that the state was doing us a big favor by replacing a bridge that goes over a very small creek (that becomes a raging river during big storms). As if our 7th-highest-taxes in the country are not paying for it. I've lived here 20 years and the bridge has been closed and fixed two times previously. I never realized there was so much upkeep to such a small bridge.Anywho, to go along with the large state sign was one of those electronic boards that said, "BRIDGE CLOSED JULY 15." The day all of this appeared, I was in the car with college daughter. As I take this route over said bridge many, many times a day to get into town, I was not a happy camper to learn of the closing. My words were to the effect of, "Damn it......it figures that this is going to happen right before I have to start driving the kids to school every day." (In other news, our last school levy didn't pass, so high school busing has been cut. I've got an 18 YO who may never drive and a 15 YO) To which College Daughter replied, "But Mom, the sign says it will only be closed on July 15th!"
BAHAHAHAHA........oh to be young and naive again....................
On July 15th, the flashing sign was changed to "BRIDGE OUT UNTIL JULY 2011"
Oh, dear; I feel your pain. One bridge closed can send you miles out of your way. . . And for a whole year, too. . .
ReplyDeleteBe strong. . .
WordVer = 'jeephype'; sounds like an ad campaign for SUVs, or something. . .
Oh yeah, that really bites, and I so hear you on the whole tax thing, too.
ReplyDeleteWhen we moved here, back in '99, there was a bridge "under construction" to be replaced (thankfully just one half at a time, we didn't have to go around)...
But, it took over NINE years, to finish the dang thing. Yes. NINE YEARS; and until the last 6 months, the only sign of construction activity, was the occasional replacement of the sun-faded signs announcing the lane shifts.
Go figger.
I dread seeing those long-term signs for roadwork go up. It makes everything feel like an eternity.
ReplyDeleteThankfully, we've been blessed with no big projects of late, but every year, the city crews tear up the same chunk of road I drive to work to do patch work. Anymore, it's like the street itself has developed psychic abilities to know when it's about time for the work to start, so it buckles and cracks so the crews can justify their time. I can pretty much set a clock to it.
(also, I've been trying to work a Supertramp lyric into a post for ages, so I'm a bit jealous you've found the perfect way!)
They closed the INTERSTATE between here and Asheville, one of my favorite cities and the way I need to go to get to my mother's house and the beach, for months and months as they cleaned up a rockslide. It was crazily inconvenient
ReplyDeleteCraig - I appreciate the sympathy.
ReplyDeleteSailor - NINE years is unbelievable! Although I think that the PA turnpike construction has been going on since I was born.
FADKOG - I thought of both you and Supertramp when I titled this post.
Agent - That is insane, but I suppose a rockslide would give them no other choice? Our interstates don't close, they're just covered with orange barrels year round.
aggravating.
ReplyDeletesounds like pennDOT which has decided now is the time to do construction on every major road leading in or out of our county.
Lime - You know the joke about how can you tell if it's summer? By the appearance of the orange barrels!
ReplyDeleteIn Michigan, we say that there are two seasons - Winter and Road Construction. There was a facetious movement a few years back to have the Orange Traffic Barrel designated as the State Animal. . .
ReplyDeleteOh ye of no faith (or hope)! We moved here 20 years ago, just a mile from the future site of a shiny new bridge. Our daughters were bussed to the school just on the other side of the 'bridge' in anticipation of the grand opening ...... for 7 years Queenie trucked 12 miles any time she needed to be at school for the kids. One month AFTER Oddkin completed her time at that school the new bridge opened! It is now 1.5 miles from here to there.
ReplyDeleteOh, and you need to know that the bridge was originally planned and promised somewhere around 1972 .... and completed round about 2002 or so .... :-)
So no worries!
Craig - I guess with our weather, we have to expect the orange barrels more than most!
ReplyDeleteX - Well, I know YOU weren't waiting since 1972 cause you were just a tyke then. But yeah, the govt is really good about keeping with deadlines.
Just to let you know, I had to change URL's. This avatar links ot the new site.
ReplyDeleteA year? I would have lost my mind on the spot. But I have crazy road rage. ;)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds suspiciously like roads - and bridge projects - around my neck of the woods. Two towns over they were building a "new" bridge - it took TWELVE years! Of course, part of that was the building of the "temporary" bridge, so I guess I shouldn't complain.
ReplyDelete