A Tale of Two Bridges

 It's not actually two bridges. It had two different names over time, and it consolidated the traffic of two streets that hadn't crossed the interstate for decades, but some planners (planners/politicians/grifters) decided it was necessary, and threatened to kill a puppy if it wasn't built. (No, they didn't plan to kill a puppy, but probably threatened to elect a more terrible derelict to Texas Congress. That's probably worse). It won't be standing much longer. Demolition is soon to start.

The bridge is masterpiece of glut, unnecessary embellishment, and for those that I knew that built it, a thing of beauty and accomplishment. Formwork required panels that reflected stonework of a time past, and the lighting was of a past century. The safety rails took some fancy detailing in formwork to reflect bannisters of an expensive staircase. I was impressed with the work. 

 It is beautiful, but in reality, the amount of traffic it allows convenience never satisfied the cost. That, and when I first drove under the finished bridge, I wondered if the clearance would become a problem in the future. That, and glad my commute through that area didn't have to deal with the construction traffic due to the bridge.

The interstate is in the process of expansion. Two main travel lanes in each direction are not enough. They haven't been for years, but funding wasn't available. The bottleneck at two major exchanges requires much more pavement, and from what I'm seeing, flyovers will be required. The bridge that had the name of a local politician, after the name of the two streets it consolidated, is in the way. In April, it will close, and the traffic on the interstate will become a nightmare for those traveling to, and from, across Texas. Demolition of a bridge over a live interstate requires detours, detours require the walls of death, and the carnage will begin.

So, progress is on the way. It requires me to avoid that section of the local city if I decide to visit. I already avoid it as much as I can, but now have another very good reason to not visit. It's looking too much like parts of Houston, and the traffic is sometimes worse. 

In a few months, there will be a much different appearance of this area.

So, What Did They Do With The Money?

 A few local communities are having problems with their infrastructure. Roads are the usual problem. Traffic changes, traffic loads increase, and even some newer roads are showing signs of problems. Many I watched during construction. Since I have no access to testing reports, or watched them performed, there's no way I can say it's due to shoddy construction, but know enough to see where it probably happened. Laziness, outright fraud, and unscrupulous contractors can lead to "boiler-housed" test reports, and failures in the future. City crews do what they can, but do so at a pace that guarantees they probably are rejects from the private sector.

The problem that is found more in the news is the problems with sanitary sewers. Regardless of the millions spent in the eighties by grants for rehabilitation, and new systems, the sewer systems are failing. Why? There's too much groundwater infiltration from dilapidated pipes, overloaded systems, and a failure to upgrade capacities. This causes the sewers to surcharge in rain events, toilets don't flush, and some neighborhoods are filled with people calling their insurance agent to claim they need new carpet. Why is there so much infiltration? Cities don't spend the money on for what it was intended. They spend it on useless salaries, unwarranted benefits, ridiculous programs, and the necessary things are pushed to the back burner...until they break. Then it becomes a crises without funds for necessary upgrades.

I'm sure this is not just isolated locally. Cities, like all government entities, are filled with incompetent, selfish people that never intend to do anything but secure a salary and retire with a pension you can't find in the private sector. It is what it is, and I'm glad I moved away from a city decades ago. I like my toilets to drain, my water supply to be without repairs I can't do, and not having to deal with the bureaucrats that ignore telephone calls. As far as the roads, our county commissioner does what they can, but is a politician. That explains it all.

It's Worse, When You Think About It

 There were tens of thousands of Federal employees screwing the pooch for years, and many think they deserve their pay for not doing anything. When you add the agency that supposedly was supposed to keep the taxpayers in mind with union affairs was pissing off money for luxuries, you realize most have no integrity and should be given ten years of breaking big rock into little rocks. Will someone be prosecuted, made to pay large fines? Of course not. We're supposed to be more gentle in punishing reprobates, and federal judges are part of the subterfuge. A less polite society would be digging some holes.

What We Put Up With

Jet lag is considered unhealthy. Sleep problems happen immediately and the disruption of the circadian rhythm problems can last a long time. Daylight Saving is like jet-lag, except we're supposed to ignore the effects, soldier on, and put up with the insane, meandering whims of those that legislate, and obfuscate. 

*spit*   

The Walls of Death

Locally, the interstate is under major construction in more than one area. To accomplish this construction, detours are built, two lanes of traffic are still available, but barrier walls don't allow a shoulder and the walls of death are formed. Accidents are many, access to many areas is only one way from the opposite direction, and in some rural areas, the available emergency assistance is substantially less than in a city. 

There was a fatal motorcycle accident yesterday. A man from halfway across Texas was riding his Harley, decided to pass a semi on the right side, hit the barrier wall, and fell under the wheels of the trailer. Why he did this is beyond my comprehension, but I have a feeling impatience was a key factor.

It's almost a daily occurrence to have a major accident in these areas, and fatalities are few, but the mayhem is daily. One section has been under construction for the lion's share of a decade, and will probably be outdated at completion. Two new major interchanges just started in a local city, and are projected to last for many years. The walls of death will be placed soon, and the mayhem will commence.