South Utica Construction

[OkieDiva]

How long can it possibly take to finish five blocks of work? And why in the world would you make a heavily traveled north-south like Utica partially inaccessible when you've got nearly the same north-south on Peoria torn all to hell at the same time? Is this an evil plot to drive mid-towners to - gasp! - south Tulsa?

It's very frustrating. And to be honest, when I see an empty road-work site on a perfectly clear, mild day (even if it is a Saturday - they had Monday off for rain!), it makes me much less enthusiastic about the roads package.

[sgrizzle]

On utica they are doing water main work, not road work. I assume from the gravel they are putting down instead of asphalt, they can't finish until everything is moved over to the new line. Tey are actually up near 34th working on the water line right now.

[OkieDiva]

If they're up near 34th, then why can I still not go north on Utica from 41st? I should be able to go up from 41st to 36th if it's at 34th. And why are their tractors and such all still parked between 37th-40th?

The point, really, is that I perceive this to be road work. A road I use a lot has been working on for a longer time than I believe is acceptable, and I feel inconvenienced. And when I drove by today (three times), the tractors were idle. This makes me have negative feelings toward further road work. (I've never had auto damage due to potholes; that would most certainly make me have positive feelings about road work.) I worry that the idle status of current road (or perceived-to-be-road) projects could have a negative impact on the streets vote.

[sgrizzle]

They tore out the water line, driveways, yards and everything else. They haven't put anything other than the water line in. Everything else is still torn up until they finish.

[Breadburner]

Progress is not pain less.....

[OkieDiva]

quote:Originally posted by Breadburner

Progress is not pain less.....

Well said.

[BierGarten]

I think our resources must already be spread too thin with our precious downtown projects and all.  That must be, right?  Otherwise why would this project take so long and why would so many days go by where not a single worker, not a one, is out there doing anything.  Just more rain and more mud and more rain and more mud.  I actually heard (rumor) that the contractor did not bury part of the new line deep enough the first time and has to go back and redo.

[MichaelBates]

The real question is: Why does the right hand not know what the left is doing? Isn't there someone at City Hall with a map showing all the street closings due to street work, water work, or any other reason, and trying to plan work to avoid having an arterial and its nearest obvious alternative route under construction at the same time?

[RecycleMichael]

I think it is a conspiracy to keep them mid-towners from getting out of their neighborhoods. They are much easier to watch when they stay home.

OkieDiva was right. It is a plot. Just accept it and think of the positives of living in a gated community, albeit a gate made of mud and traffic cones.