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Not sure how many of you are FED up with all this "wonderful" road paving that's going on, but, myself, I'm sick and tired of having to drive 4 miles out of my way to get anywhere because of road closing. I'm talking specifically of Rickwood at the moment. That small section between Chisholm and about a BLOCK away from the Qgas on the corner has been closed of and on now for 2 WEEKS!!!! And I haven't seen ANY progress. It is still scrapped up (as of this morning) It doesn't even look like the machinery has moved since last week.

Why can't they pave at night after 10 pm when it doesn't interfer with traffic like other towns?

As a side note, I've had to replace a tire, get another tire plugged - not to mention front end alignment that will be needed because of all of this.

I love nice roads, but, this has become a NIGHTMARE!
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I was coming up Cyprss Mill and wanted to cross Pine yesterday at lunch time and the man in the middle of the road told me I had to go right -- no options but right...so I went right...I got less than 150 feet and another man told me I had to go right -- I couldn't continue up Pine I had to go right ....guess where Right took me? Right back to Cypress Mill Road. THese men are morons and have no clue how to direct traffic and detour and put up proper signs and even try to give public notice through the media what areas to avoid...you'd think they'd figure it out...
redbull, I agree with you! What a mess! First they started on College St. by ECM, got about half done and moved on to make Pine St. a total mess! They are still finishing up Pine Street, but they have finally finished College. I don't know why they couldn't finish one job before beginning another.

Every where you go in Florence it seems a street is either scraped off or half paved. It seems like the roads always get repaved right before election time. Coincidence? I doubt it. Smiler
quote:
Originally posted by redbull:
Not sure how many of you are FED up with all this "wonderful" road paving that's going on, but, myself, I'm sick and tired of having to drive 4 miles out of my way to get anywhere because of road closing. I'm talking specifically of Rickwood at the moment. That small section between Chisholm and about a BLOCK away from the Qgas on the corner has been closed of and on now for 2 WEEKS!!!! And I haven't seen ANY progress. It is still scrapped up (as of this morning) It doesn't even look like the machinery has moved since last week.

Why can't they pave at night after 10 pm when it doesn't interfer with traffic like other towns?

As a side note, I've had to replace a tire, get another tire plugged - not to mention front end alignment that will be needed because of all of this.

I love nice roads, but, this has become a NIGHTMARE!


You might try taking your bills for repairs due to the paving to the Mayor's office. They may refund your money, they may not, but it may be worth a try.
I had to get a new set of tires earlier than I should have and shortly after that, I had to get one plugged. If someone gets a refund from the city, please let me know. I realize that vehicle maintenance is my responsibility, but the roads around here are so terrible that it's taking a toll on my car. It takes me twice as long to get anywhere because I have to avoid my usual route. I'm getting really tired of this and there's no end in sight.
I'm so glad that someone finally put a post on here about the road paving because I was just about to start one of my own. Why in the world can they not finish one project at a time. There are about four or more streets scraped up which makes no sense at all. Do one job, get it done, then start another. I too am all for nighttime work. Plus, it's funny how the street department starts working on roads that are near schools. We had about a month to go before school got out when they started working on Jackson Road (which is still not complete, therefore, I have stopped taking that street altogether), and Pine Street as well. Let the school year end first then there will be less traffic in the mornings and afternoons...duh.
It is like everything else in this Mayor's Administration. A BIG MESS.

Mismanagement. Poor performance. Contractors performing badly at taxpayer expense with no repercussions.

So what's new?

They are in such a hurry because they want it finished before August 26th. You know what I mean?

Consequently it is a sloppy mess. Cutting corners, shorting asphalt, not good foundations, etc.

It will not be long before the City is redoing and repaving again because of shoddy work now.

It's all political anyway.
I just got back from the store and while I was driving 3 miles out of my way-at a price now of $3.75 a gallon- I thought what a WONDERFUL thing it would have been if they had opted to put in SIDEWALKS all over town instead of paving the roads. No one will be able to afford to drive pretty soon. I would have been able to walk to the store if there had been proper sidewalks!

Who ever runs on the platform of SIDEWALKS AROUND TOWN gets my vote!
quote:
Originally posted by redbull:
I just got back from the store and while I was driving 3 miles out of my way-at a price now of $3.75 a gallon- I thought what a WONDERFUL thing it would have been if they had opted to put in SIDEWALKS all over town instead of paving the roads. No one will be able to afford to drive pretty soon. I would have been able to walk to the store if there had been proper sidewalks!

Who ever runs on the platform of SIDEWALKS AROUND TOWN gets my vote!



sidewalks would be nice, but I'm willing to bet that even IF gas gets to $5 gal. people will still be driving to work, stores, restaurants, cruisin', etc. but I am curious, though, how many of you who are complaining have ACTUALLY let your US senators and congressmen know how you feel. Tell them you want the US to drill for the Billion + barrels that we are already able to get to. Eliminate the gas tax, temporarily, stop letting the environmentalists set Americas energy policy. Opening up anwar (alaska), gulf coast, upper midwest, tx gulf, etc. would accomplish 2 things; It would offset demand as quickly as it got to the refinery, and until then, the middle east would see it's 'gravy train' coming to the end of it's tracks and would respond and oil prices would immediately go down. And lastly, build more refineries to keep up w/ demand. if we all would demand action, esp. in an election year, we would see them get off their butts and 'start'doing something besides blaming everyone else. They are in charge and should have seen this coming.
Saw a woman on 48 news last night complaining about the cost of gas as she filled up her big gas guzzling SUV.

Chosen one, if we would just get the hell out of Iraq that would put another 1/2 million barrels a day on the world market. Quicker and better than drilling. Effect would be about the same though, maybe a penny a gallon.
quote:
Originally posted by chosen-one:
quote:
Originally posted by redbull:
I just got back from the store and while I was driving 3 miles out of my way-at a price now of $3.75 a gallon- I thought what a WONDERFUL thing it would have been if they had opted to put in SIDEWALKS all over town instead of paving the roads. No one will be able to afford to drive pretty soon. I would have been able to walk to the store if there had been proper sidewalks!

Who ever runs on the platform of SIDEWALKS AROUND TOWN gets my vote!



sidewalks would be nice, but I'm willing to bet that even IF gas gets to $5 gal. people will still be driving to work, stores, restaurants, cruisin', etc. but I am curious, though, how many of you who are complaining have ACTUALLY let your US senators and congressmen know how you feel. Tell them you want the US to drill for the Billion + barrels that we are already able to get to. Eliminate the gas tax, temporarily, stop letting the environmentalists set Americas energy policy. Opening up anwar (alaska), gulf coast, upper midwest, tx gulf, etc. would accomplish 2 things; It would offset demand as quickly as it got to the refinery, and until then, the middle east would see it's 'gravy train' coming to the end of it's tracks and would respond and oil prices would immediately go down. And lastly, build more refineries to keep up w/ demand. if we all would demand action, esp. in an election year, we would see them get off their butts and 'start'doing something besides blaming everyone else. They are in charge and should have seen this coming.


Done it! Thanks for the suggestions. I also want my LOCAL folks in charge to know that there are MANY of us who don't mind walking, biking, etc as long as we have SAFE places to do so; such as bike paths/sidewalks. Besides, it's better on the environment and wouldn't take as long as it has to get new refinaries, drill sites, etc. Heck, I heard on the news today of folks STEALING old resturant grease...'
quote:
Does anyone know who to contact about getting them to pave during the night? That way they wouldn't interfere with traffic.


Complaining of traffic around these pearts is really funny. I still hear people warn each other about getting out in "That TVA traffic." You hicks don't know what "backed up traffic" even is.

There is no paving traffic that can't be avoided by a 3 minute detour.
It's not the time factor that has me so bugged out-it's more the fact I have to pay close to $4. a gal for gas and have to burn it by taking a detour because of these folks. There is one partial road they have been working on the SAME section for at least a week.

You're right though, "traffic" warnings are kinda funny here, 'specially if you've ever lived near DC or Atlanta-ugh!
I really don't care if they recycle the asphalt or not, it's still an inconvenience to me and others who drive here in FLORENCE and not Atlanta, DC or Birmingham for that matter. I'm not concerned with their traffic. That's why I choose to live in this area as well as the other people who complain about the TVA traffic because I (we) don't want to drive in any more hectic traffic than I (we) have to. If we wanted to be in conjested traffic then we would move to those areas....duh
One of the most travel city streets were done 3 years ago and less than 6 months it had pot holes.

I feel like the City is trying to use the cheapest asphalt that is produce so that election time all of the Council Members can say that some of the streets were paved in their Districts.

If I was on the Council, I would like to be able to say that the streets were so good that we didn't need to paved them for at least every ten or more years.
One problem with a lot of city streets is the base. on new roads, they have a base of several inches of crushed limestone that allows water to drain out from under the pavement. On th older streets it is paved directly onto the chert, which allows the water to build up underneath the pavement and when the temperatures reach freezing, it causes the pavement to crumble. That is why some roads last longer than others do.
I am no expert on it, but this is what I understand.
quote:
Posted 22 May 2008 09:52 AM Hide Post
I really don't care if they recycle the asphalt or not, it's still an inconvenience to me and others who drive here in FLORENCE and not Atlanta, DC or Birmingham for that matter



Well, one of the unfortunate consequences of driving a car is the fact that asphalt roads need to be replaced from time to time.
quote:
Originally posted by thehippiegirl:
i have no problem with paving roads. i have a problem with paving roads near election time, to try and gain votes. seems like all kinds of improvements start happening around that time, then dies out till next election time. hopefully this time, we will get a new mayor who hits the 'pavement' running.



Big Grin
quote:
Originally posted by DixieChik:
quote:
Originally posted by thehippiegirl:
i have no problem with paving roads. i have a problem with paving roads near election time, to try and gain votes. seems like all kinds of improvements start happening around that time, then dies out till next election time. hopefully this time, we will get a new mayor who hits the 'pavement' running.



Big Grin


This whole thread cracks me up. Pave at night? I wonder what that would add to the cost? Don't pave near election time? When, then? After elections in the winter? The city sits down every year, looks at how much money they have for street repair, and decides on which projects to do each and EVERY year. Has to be done in the summer, can't be done in the winter.
quote:
Originally posted by unclegus:
One problem with a lot of city streets is the base. on new roads, they have a base of several inches of crushed limestone that allows water to drain out from under the pavement. On th older streets it is paved directly onto the chert, which allows the water to build up underneath the pavement and when the temperatures reach freezing, it causes the pavement to crumble. That is why some roads last longer than others do.
I am no expert on it, but this is what I understand.



Yes, that is true but don't you think that it is time to think about completing redoing if they have to go even a foot deep.

I so the cost be a lot more and will take longer.
I think part of the night issue too is they would have to run big lights on generators to be able to see what they are doing on some areas and that would be even worse for people who are trying to sleep at night.

People (like me) are going to complain about poor detours and the hassle it causes, but I think the people at night would be complaining more from the noise, the smells, and the lights. It's a Catch-22 regardless I guess.
I don't mind the paving. I don't mind the inconvience of detours so much. I don't really mind having to drive on a grated roadway for a day or two, I know it's part of the process and I have to be extra careful.

What I did mind, is the fact that they started one project and only did part, and then started on another street. I don't understand why they couldn't finish the first street before moving on to another one? Of course, having half the street completed was better than none. Maybe they have to let the asphalt "set" for a couple of days, so they went on to other projects? I don't know, does anyone have the answer to this?
Call the city engineer's office. They are who tells the contractor when to pave each street. They may have pulled them off of that street so the city could do some sort of maintenace.

I agree that is is a huge inconvience, but it is something that must eventually be done. My hat goes off to those men and women who work in the asphalt business. I couldn't do it. It is very hard work.
The reason they moved from one street to another is because the subgrade is no good under the asphalt. They are having to goback and dig out the bad places. so these dig outs is a slow process. the other is the contractor doing the milling is out of town, he has to do all he can every day so he can move on to another job. This milling goes faster than paving. thats why some streets are not paved for a few days.

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