Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Smarter than your average rat

Today I tried to leave my neighbourhood. I am fenced in the area bordered by Broadway, 8th Street and the river. Like the rat in a maze I tried all the usual exits, to no avail. Everything was blocked and detours had detours. The old narrow side streets are riddled with pot holes. Every corner had temporary four-way stops. I am seriously frustrated. This has been going on for months with no end in sight. If any one in this 'hood needed an ambulance they would die before EMS found a route in. When I finally did find an exit I felt like the experimental mouse in Flowers for Algernon. And what do I get for all this trouble? A damn sewage lift station that didn't want.

Then I tried to drive down Idylwyld. If I had a high blood pressure problem I'm sure I would have stroked out. My normal 15 minute trip took me 40 minutes. I was particularly enthralled with the alternating red/green lights on 42nd Street. Good way to keep traffic moving she said facetiously.

Today I do not feel warm and fuzzy about city engineers and infrastructure employees. But I did feel proud exiting the maze.

And tomorrow will be a new challenge.

2 comments:

  1. This city has lost it's mind. What is even crazier is that despite not being able to finish even one project they are still shutting down roads to begin new projects. I can't think of one project in your area that has been completed yet this summer.

    I did notice they will be shutting down the Victoria bridge for walking traffic next week Mistress. Meaning that anyone in your area will now be forced to detour and have to make their way past the Buckwold Bridge, the Victoria Bridge and to the Broadway Bridge to cross the river.

    For a city that is broke, we sure are beginning a lot of construction work.

    At least with all the overtime that will be required to finish these projects before snow falls the headache we'll have with our Spring property taxes will far outweigh the headache being given by City's lack of regard for citizen mobility.

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  2. You should be so luck to complain about stop signs at every intersection. I live just off of Eastlake in Broadway area. It appears that with problems surrounding Victoria those in a hurry have fled to Eastlake to race down the widened UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION street between 8th and Broadway. Nary a stop sign on the stretch.

    It has been quite enjoyable to see cars storming by at high speeds as I walk my dog around the neighborhood. On a plus, I've seen more than usual accidents which should help fill the SGI coffers and hopefully lower my taxes.

    I guess as long as it appears as though the city is committed to safety all will be fine.

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