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Some people refer to this weekend as, “the opening day of summer.” The other day I unintentionally called it, “opening day of road construction season.” It is actually Memorial Day weekend, Monday being the day we honor and mourn U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It can be a somber day for some, but I suspect that a great way to honor those who gave their very lives for our country is actually to spend time with your family having a BBQ and celebrating freedom.
In this nutty state. Memorial Day weekend really is opening day of road construction season. While I should probably be grateful they are giving any attention to our roads at all, I am not. Why in the world we always have to begin every major highway project on a busy holiday weekend is beyond me. Also, judging from past experience, there is some doubt as to whether or not our road projects will improve conditions for people who actually have to drive on our roads. That fact just adds to my skepticism.
I realize road construction is always inconvenient and chaotic, but I genuinely believe we have conquered the big boss and now reached an entirely new level of surreal chaos. The other day we came flying down a county road in the middle of nowhere before suddenly coming upon a portable traffic light. Was there any sort of intersection? No. A driveway, a passing lane, a road construction sign, a flagger? Nope, not even a traffic cone! So we simply sat there in front of a red light smack in the middle of the highway without a car in sight anywhere and waited patiently for it to turn green.
I was completely baffled so when I got home I set about sleuthing up an explanation. I did discover that many other people are also busy asking the DOT “why,” but as of yet have received no satisfactory answer. I now assume it is some kind of top secret highway project that just exists on a “need to know” basis.
For the entire summer, the main highway I need to get on will be allowing no left turns anywhere, ever. Naturally I need to go left. I have studied this convoluted mess extensively on line and on the ground and still have absolutely no idea what they want from me. You actually have to go right, pull over, make a U-turn and proceed to drive down the very same road they won’t let you access like a normal person.
Don’t even get me started about “men working” signs, but not a man in sight anywhere for miles.
Darkly humorous, but we recently had occasion to visit a couple of tribes, primarily their casinos. It was extremely disconcerting. I mean, you turn off the state highway and suddenly encounter actual asphalt. It’s a dark charcoal color and very smooth, if anyone has forgotten. I was quite startled! Where are all my familiar potholes, why are the sides of the roads mowed?? Have I fallen into another dimension??
I nearly cried. My husband rolled his eyes his eyes at me, but when we all met up there was quite a bit of emotionalism expressed over having just encountered a sentimental thing of days gone by….a nicely paved road.
This state is actually 44th in the nation for road quality according to the Federal Dept of Transportation. We are actually in the running with New Jersey! Woot! New Jersey was once totally unbeatable, a legend I tell ya. Not anymore! Some 28% of our roads are labeled completely unacceptable. Another 22% are rated “poor.” So highest gas prices in the nation, highest gas taxes, and allegedly a whopping 2.97 billion a year has been spent maintaining them. Maintaining them in their current state of disrepair, I suppose.
But you still refuse to leave “the Titanic”…
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Nope, we’re just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic! The problem with leaving is that we’d have to walk away from children, grandchildren, and some elderly folks. But it’s certainly tempting sometimes!
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Given they’re not “woke”, get them to leave with you.
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Or as we call it in the midwest – cone storage.
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Exactly, “cone storage!” 🙂
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Back in the 70’s and 80’s the State of Illinois, from where I originally hail, was into massive statewide road rehabilitation on the interstates. Truly a pain to the gas pedal (not to mention brake pads), a local state representative introduced a resolution proclaiming the state animal as being the construction horse. As applicable as that was, the resolution did not pass.
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Ha! Sounds like a good resolution.
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Well, should we expect government to service roads differently from the way it handles everything else?
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LOL, right? No, we should not expect them to handle anything until they prove themselves competent enough to deal with potholes.
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I saw a nicely paved road once… in a movie.
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I remember that whenever they wanted to film a movie, Hollywood sent their own construction teams in to pave the roads first.
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LOL! That is so true! We filmed a movie here in town long ago and sure enough, a couple of side streets suddenly got paved.
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Roads take money. I hear Hollywood has that.
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Insanity bytes
Your post brings to mind what I often wondered about when I am in a road construction area.
For example,
Where are the workers?
Why can’t they just close off the sections where workers are working.
Why decide to work on two adjacent major highways at the same time.
In previous discussions I heard this answer about Illinois, a State which paid vendore an average of six years before it was given Covid money which was used to pay down State debgts..
The construction companies only do so much work and they wait for payment from the State.
In other wordes, don’t complain about your State.I s
Regards and goodwill blogging.
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LOL! Why, why, why, right Rudy? I ask those same questions! A bit funny, we sometimes refer to this area as “Little Chicago,” on account of our politics being much like what goes on in parts of Illinois.
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Same here in Aussie IB, the road works signs on the side of the road and slow down signs but no road works, machines or workers, just nothing.
It is like the works were done 5 years prior and they forgot to recover their signs.
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Right? It’s so crazy. Just maddening.
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