I wasn't even trying to be snarky with my "no potholes" comment. It infuriates me that roads do not remain driveable for more just a few winters in the Northeast.
How hard could it be to come up with an asphalt mix that doesn't disintegrate?
The highly traveled bridge that connects the NJ and PA Turnpikes that spans over the Delaware River closed several years ago after an alert bridge painter brought it to the attention of engineers. The thing could have literally collapsed into the river. The bridge was closed immediately and for nearly a year as they made immediate emergency repairs. How many of these have we dodged over the years?
Yeah, there is a bridge on I-10 that is scary high just to travel over. It's been so long since I drove over it, I can't remember where it is but it is in the same deteriorated condition and many people take an alternate route to avoid it. Somewhere between Alabama and Texas.
Roads are pathetic in the Southeast as well. Our infrastructures have all been neglected. Jacksonville is a city of bridges and I wonder about some of them.
And in our little township, the budget which is fully funded by state taxes, would only pay for repaving our roads every 50 years if the entire budget were spent on repaving. The fat cats in the capital are spending it on other bull manure.
I bought mine only a couple of years ago and instead of buying the expensive, electronic, high-efficiency washer, I bought a bottom of the line one based on the old designs (though still labeled high efficiency). Works like a champ. My sister bought a top of the line model and has already had to replace it.
Once was told that the state (in my state of Alabama anyway) Department of Transportation is the most corrupt of all government entities.
Full of insider contracts. Roads worn out or crumbling too soon after construction or repair??? No problem. Queue up the next contract given to some friendly. Some fellow reader/commenter said “cash cow.”
In a sense we are. They are called railroads. Rails are the same width as the ruts in the Roman roads cut by the wheels of the chariots. All wheeled wagons had to follow suit to avoid breaking the axles in the ruts. The width of the wheels got passed all the way down to modern railroads.
2006 I traveled, in a 20th C ICE, on a Roman road--the connection between the high-speed highway and the local road leading to Cumae. For me, a 'mind-blowing' concept.
No potholes...
"Roads? Who needs roads?" Back to the Future.
I wasn't even trying to be snarky with my "no potholes" comment. It infuriates me that roads do not remain driveable for more just a few winters in the Northeast.
How hard could it be to come up with an asphalt mix that doesn't disintegrate?
Good question. Prolly not a top priority. We have to fund the killing fields in Ukraine.
Watch the US taxpayer pay for rebuilding Ukraine.
And Israel too
...while the US infrastructure rots...a bridge collapse in Pittsburgh.
https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/fern-hollow-bridge-collapse-documents-investigation-report/
The highly traveled bridge that connects the NJ and PA Turnpikes that spans over the Delaware River closed several years ago after an alert bridge painter brought it to the attention of engineers. The thing could have literally collapsed into the river. The bridge was closed immediately and for nearly a year as they made immediate emergency repairs. How many of these have we dodged over the years?
Geez--I travel over that bridge 14 times a year--and of course, commuters do twice daily.
I’ve been over it hundreds of times. Almost fell off my chair when I heard they closed it a few years ago.
Yeah, there is a bridge on I-10 that is scary high just to travel over. It's been so long since I drove over it, I can't remember where it is but it is in the same deteriorated condition and many people take an alternate route to avoid it. Somewhere between Alabama and Texas.
Good Lord.
Lucky no one was killed.
Roads and wars have this in common -
A long-term road repair and stoppage of wars......NOT good for either business, is it?
Not in their best interest, aka the bottom line.
Our fine government at work.
Roads are pathetic in the Southeast as well. Our infrastructures have all been neglected. Jacksonville is a city of bridges and I wonder about some of them.
And the Southwest, where the weather isn’t even as much of a concern.
Come to California. Our roads and sidewalks are deteriorating despite all of that gas tax we pay.
I call it job security.
Empire security for the Brits. We are still their colony after all.
A FEW winters?! They only last 1 here in the Midwest! We're getting ripped off! As usual. 😫
And in our little township, the budget which is fully funded by state taxes, would only pay for repaving our roads every 50 years if the entire budget were spent on repaving. The fat cats in the capital are spending it on other bull manure.
There is so much waste in government, it’s infuriating 😡
Great people, aren't they? 🙄
Job security.
Not so hard, but a money-loser. Kind of like Maytag washers.
Speaking of washers...I hate, absolutely hate, my "high efficiency" washer.
Sometimes it doesn't fill with enough water. Sometimes it overfills.
So much for the "sensing" feature which acts like a drunken sailor.
I am so happy still to be using my top-loading Maytag purchased about 30 years ago.
Keep it...and if it breaks, get it repaired.
The HE washers are just awful.
Proof that when the government gets involved, everything goes to crap.
Husband does those repairs indeed. Your last sentence is our contention as well.
I bought mine only a couple of years ago and instead of buying the expensive, electronic, high-efficiency washer, I bought a bottom of the line one based on the old designs (though still labeled high efficiency). Works like a champ. My sister bought a top of the line model and has already had to replace it.
Agree. I avoid 'electronic' elements wherever I can. I cook on a stove designed 100 years ago.
Once was told that the state (in my state of Alabama anyway) Department of Transportation is the most corrupt of all government entities.
Full of insider contracts. Roads worn out or crumbling too soon after construction or repair??? No problem. Queue up the next contract given to some friendly. Some fellow reader/commenter said “cash cow.”
That bridge I talked about is prolly in your state.
One would think we’d be building roads like Rome did, that are still pothole free 2000 years later.
In a sense we are. They are called railroads. Rails are the same width as the ruts in the Roman roads cut by the wheels of the chariots. All wheeled wagons had to follow suit to avoid breaking the axles in the ruts. The width of the wheels got passed all the way down to modern railroads.
Yep interesting stuff right there.
2006 I traveled, in a 20th C ICE, on a Roman road--the connection between the high-speed highway and the local road leading to Cumae. For me, a 'mind-blowing' concept.