I don't know how to word this...but since I drive on Rt. 50 in West OC numerous times a day, it's driving me crazy NOT to talk about this:
REPAVING ROUTE 50!!!! Why?!?!? Is America rich? I think NOT!
First of all, there was nothing wrong with the road, no potholes...not even rough-riding. Secondly, why waste all that money and manpower to grind up perfectly good pavement to repave. Thirdly, I watch every few minutes, they're waving another truck to get under the pavement grinder's belt to catch the ground-up pavement...Dump trucks are rolling by my office about every 5 minutes full. Fourthly, what happens to this ground-up pavement once it's taken away in the dump truck?
Furthermore, why in the hell are we wasting this money repaving a highway that doesn't need it? I know the money was already allocated to this project, but can't someone use their brain and say, "Hey, the economy is in the toilet right now. I think Rt. 50 can wait another year or two to get repaved, so why don't we re-allocate this money somewhere that it can be put to better use?"
I would love your opinion on this. I know this project has been happening between Willards and Salisbury on Rt. 50 eastbound too.
REPAVING ROUTE 50!!!! Why?!?!? Is America rich? I think NOT!
First of all, there was nothing wrong with the road, no potholes...not even rough-riding. Secondly, why waste all that money and manpower to grind up perfectly good pavement to repave. Thirdly, I watch every few minutes, they're waving another truck to get under the pavement grinder's belt to catch the ground-up pavement...Dump trucks are rolling by my office about every 5 minutes full. Fourthly, what happens to this ground-up pavement once it's taken away in the dump truck?
Furthermore, why in the hell are we wasting this money repaving a highway that doesn't need it? I know the money was already allocated to this project, but can't someone use their brain and say, "Hey, the economy is in the toilet right now. I think Rt. 50 can wait another year or two to get repaved, so why don't we re-allocate this money somewhere that it can be put to better use?"
I would love your opinion on this. I know this project has been happening between Willards and Salisbury on Rt. 50 eastbound too.
BTW, the pic I just added is from my office door.....
20 comments:
First of all, most of eastbound was cracked and was looking real bad when they started paving it. I noticed then when having to drive slow when the paving started. That is something when driving 55 (or more) you would not see.
I have heard that these roads have a paving schedule that is done in advance based on weather, wear, etc. Think about what the cold weather and water getting in those cracks and freezing will do as well as all of the traffic that travels that road even in the winter as well as how it ramps up on the summer.
Also, working for the state of MD, a lot of time when money is allocated for a certain item or it must be spent on that item and reallocation is not possible or is very difficult. This is so there is less of a chance of malfeasance or someone misusing the money.
I am glad that they are repaving the road,; if you have ever driven in Pennsylvania, you will understand.
Jimmy B.
Yeah, the ol' "the money has already been allocated" excuse---the same excuse that was used for that $400,000 "retreat" for whichever greedy company it was (AIG, I think?). I agree; the money should have been diverted to where it was actualy needed, but that would show a necessary and efficient way to use our money. Can't have that, can we.
I agree with you 100%.
vwtrxExcellent question!!
I see our tax dollars wasted on RT50 while so many heavily travelled secondary roads will beat your car to death. I also travel 50 every day and saw nothing wrong with it. Then to top it off, my wifes car gets nailed with road paint for the 7th time in 3 years. Call SHA and get no where.
There seems to be a mentality in gov't that state money is free money. BS!!! That is still our tax dollars. Just like county park fiasco.
Your're not alone. My wife and I have talked about this many times. They do RT. 13 and the bypass seemingly every year, at least a portion. Compared to other states, the roads here are pristine. Don't get me wrong, I like a smooth road, but they go way past common sense here. I always joke that the paving companies must have a brother in law in the legislature.
If turning back in money is a problem, we should fix that glitch. It is not hard to put those monies in a seperate account to be saved for when it is really needed. this is not rocket science.
8wt
I agree with you 100% total waste of time and money right now, that road could have waited.
where have y'all been? They do it every two years or so, have since the 90s, if it needs it or not. nothing new here.
Do you get your furnace serviced before the winter? How about preventive maintenance on your vehicles? The point is that the roads are on a schedule, made years in advance based upon the usage. The roads do in fact have cracks that the winter ice will set in and cause larger fissures and crubling edges. The work you see is a cheaper way to go to prevent major work later at more of a cost.
My dumptrucks are just a couple of the ones you see going by. The millings they carry (crumled old asphalt) will be taken back to the plants and are recycled into new paving material.
Rts 13 and 50 are federal highways, hence the US 13 and US 50therefore the paving, repaving and milling is funded by a lot of federal and state dollars. Not that it makes it right, it's just the way it is. I have never seen any road with a number turn down resurfacing dollars.
Here is what gets my goat. When they grind up the millings they are taken back to the asphalt plant and stockpiled. Some is recycled into the new paving materials some is sold off by the ton to whoever wants it. The stuff is great around chicken houses because it packs down well and it drains.
It is and has always been my opinion that the contractor should be purchasing the millings from whoever owns the road and the percentage recycled for the new blacktop should be taken off the per ton price of new asphalt. When the paving contractors sell millings by the ton they are making additional money on the material they were paid to grind up and remove. Think of the money that could and should be saved if the millings were sold to the contractor as a recyclable material.
Tracy how are your trucks paid, by the hour or by the ton? What is the tonnage rate, $2.50 per ton plus 10 cents per ton after the first 10 miles? Not all of the asphalt is recycled into new material, much of it is sold off to anyone that wants to buy it for their own use.
Those millings that your trucks are hauling should be bought from the state in the form of adjustments to per ton cost of work. It would save the municipalities, city, state and counties a lot of money if the cost of millings offset the cost of resurfacing.
Mt. Hermon Road and Old Ocean City Road needs to repaved before Route 50 does. Last year after they salted Mt. Hermon Road there were major pot holes that popped up there. The county "patched" them and within a few weeks they were right back. Make sure that the stupid beach traffic doesn't hit a pot hole. God forbid that we actually repave a road that needs it. Instead of repaving roads, why don't we put the money into education or something that really matters. Government hard at work as usual wasting our money. It's BS.
What does it matter what the trucks are paid? Usually millings are an hourly fee and blacktop is a flat tonnage rate, depending on area.
If the implication is that the truck owners/drivers are making a lot money off the road work, you could not be more misinformed.
What is your rate of pay and name for that matter?
I agree that many of the county roads need to be repaved and are in worse condition than many state roads. However, the funding comes from 2 different places.
My home may need more repairs than yours. Are you going to divert funds from your needs to pay for mine?
"Not that it makes it right, it's just the way it is."
That's a loaded statement. I thought American's were ready for "change."
Mt Hermon Road and Old Ocean City Road have numbers, they are state roads and maintained by the state.
What's Martinez doing down here working? Paul Pugh better watch his back Martinez will be cutting his throat next.
Tracy, I was not implying the truck owners were making a lot of money, quite the contrary. Milling is often times paid by the ton while the trucks sit on the road for hours without being paid. I'm glad to hear it's finally being paid an hourly rate. I'm willing to bet you aren't getting $65 an hour or more, like you should be getting. Some people will work their trucks for the sake of saying they have work. An OC run should pay a decent tonnage rate, at least the drivers will make a little something, especially those dumb enough to work for 25%. I don't know how long you've been in the dump truck business but you can take it to the bank, I do know what I'm talking about.
Sunny, I and most Americans are ready for a change but not the Obama kind of change.
The fact that Rt 50 is a federally funded highway won't change. The fact that the highway owners don't better negotiate their contract prices remains a mystery to me. I suppose the thinking is its easier to let them keep the millings than it is to find a place to stockpile it. You must remember, most highway contracts are negotiated by men. That in itself explains much.
First of all US 50 is not a Federal Highway, now I95 is a Ferderal Highway. Second Mt Hermon and Old Ocean City Rd's are state roads. Last, maybe the area that is being repaved is actually worse than what we can see driving down the road.
Here are some websites that explain Federal Highway from State Highways:
State Highways
http://www.us-highways.com/usbt.htm
Federal Highways
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Highway_System
Yes US 50 may get some federal funds, but it is mostly the state who pays the bill.
Hope this helps some.
Just to give you an FYI, roads are constantly monitored by the State (state roads that is) for friction and traction testing.
This is where you want to car to obviously "stop" when you hit the breaks.
Just because it looks good to us (me included) does not necessairly mean that it is safe to travel. You need a certain amount of friction to help your vehicle come to a complete stop.
Now, before you all go off the deep end saying "That thar' looks good to me... why in my day we had nuthin' but dirt roads!" think of this.
Your wife, sister, mother, or child's school bus may be on that road.
You want the damn thing to come to a stop. Like a poster said earlier, go to PA and check out the roads! HA!
I drive 60 miles on that road each day from Ocean Pines to Salisbury. There was nothing wrong with the road surface. All asphalt cracks but there were no potholes, no filled potholes, no ruts...nothing that would warrant paving. It's akin to replacing your roof every 5 years because some of the shingles don't look as good as they used to look.
I don't agree with you very often, Joe....but this time I most certainly do.
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