COMMENT OF THE DAY: WHERE TORN-UP STREETS ARE KEEPING THE KIDS SAFE “As a parent of students at Roberts Elementary, I both dislike and love the condition of Greenbriar. I hate it because it is awful for our cars. But I love it because it calms the traffic considerably and forces drivers to pay attention — we all fear the speeding that will occur when it is nicely reconstructed. We have been told that if Greenbriar makes it to the city list this year, we should expect the start of construction planning in 2017. Who knows if the current street will last until then!” [No History Remains, commenting on Headlines: More La Madeleines for Houston; Montrose’s Worst Potholes]
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That reminds me of a protester’s argument at the first COH yard parking ordinance hearing I attended: “But if we park in the street, everyone will be forced to drive slower!”
If they start work on Greenbriar in 2017 you can expect them to finish in 2022. Look at how long it took Kirby @ 59, that project sat there half done for almost a year before local outrage got them to finish. This city will pave a road in ghetto or spend $20 mill to try and lure peeps downtown, but paving these torn up streets in busy areas, no way. Maybe this is why the streets are torn up, becasue they are busy perhaps?? While I am on a roll, how come brick and stone streets in Europe are 1000 years old and hold up great. Our brick roundabout circle on Westcott is 3 years old and already buckling everywhere.
High plasticity swelling clays and many years of drought are to blame for much of our road issues. Second to that is craptastic construction. Enough rebar and concrete on top of a well compacted base and you could build roads that will hold up, but that takes time, effort, and somebody who give a $hit. It also takes money. But as previously mentioned a well built road would require less repairs and should ultimately be cheaper in the long run.
Preaching to the choir though.
I agree with No History Remains.
And did anyone else assume a woman wrote that? Not because of what was written, but rather how. I mean harm by asking such a thing, just something I am curious about.
The roads a built on cost/benefit analysis. One could build a road that will last 1000 years but it would be cost prohibitive and inefficient. I believe the sweet spot is 30 years for an average road at which point it might have to be torn up anyway to upgrade utilities and drainage.
@Glen W. I AM a woman. You could probably figure that out by my use of the word “love” for a potholed street – a bit of hyperbole to be sure. But I am curious what else tipped you off to my gender, because I have never thought of my writing style as being male or female (although it might be)?
@No History Remains
Your Grammar is too good to be a man
@glen “I mean harm” I’m guessing that’s a typo
@common sense, nicely paved roads start getting torn up, and poorly repaved, after a year. (You’re being generous, and so are the laws that allow it.)
The potholed/patched street reminds me of the awesome exposed brick streets in town. They slow you down!