[Vwdiesel] Diesel prices

[Scott Kair]

James wrote:
 
>>thing is, the piper toodles off to the bar at the end of the day and
tosses the money around like a drunken sailor. (No offense to the navy guys)
:-) then when it comes to road maintenance, just enough is done to get by.<<

    Too true, if not quite literally re bars.  Motor fuel taxes are
generally required by statute to be dedicated to road maintenance and
improvements. There are no ribbon-cutting ceremonies when a ten-foot soft
spot is repaired, so building a road to nowhere, preferably with a
million-dollar bridge over a 5' wide drainage ditch, is preferred,
especially if the project is completed during an election year.

    Materials costs must also be considered.  Most governing bodies require
the use of low-bid material.  Given a choice between $90/ton supermix patch
that stays in the holes and $35/ton crap that blows out the next day, guess
which we have to utilize.  Next time you pass a chronic pothole, look around
it for telltale black gravel.  That's cheap patch that blew out.

    A final utterly shameful cost is safety equipment for hiway workers.  In
2002, this state lost more hiway construction and maintenance workers than
we did cops and firefighters put together. Killed, as in went to work one
day and got fitted for a toe tag before end of shift, and this doesn't count
those who were merely maimed from contact with a speeding vehicle. Decreased
slaughter was accomplished through draconian penalties for negligent
homicide, plus lots of extra safety equipment that ain't free and adds to
crew size and labor costs. Even with the new worksite speed zones, ain't no
pothole worth my life. Last close call was a soccer mom in an SUV with a
cell stuck to her ear who cussed me for getting in her way when she was in a
hurry. Legal dept. has made it clear that we are not to throw shovels or
picks anymore....

>>why? because they built it properly, not just skinned it with 2" of
pavement that is designed to last ten years. <<

    Not to defend using 2" low-traffic residential grade overlays on
interstates, but building roads properly is an extraordinarily expensive
proposition. With fiscal failure trickling down through various levels of
government here, the situation will get worse. The state DOT here, which is
broke, is deeding over minor state roads to county DOT jurisdictions, which
are also broke, which in turn deed over minor county roads to township and
city/village jurisdictions, which are also broke.  The turnover is usually
preceded by sufficient funding to "repair" the surrendered roadway with a 2"
skin, then it becomes the new jurisdiction's problem. 

    It's deviously ingenious.  State officials, who can plausibly claim
allowing local autonomy with a "free gift," screw county officials who then
have to raise taxes and face the consequences on election day. 

Scott