Ok, I can understand funding issues. I am not a planner nor an engineer. Let's take I 244 for example.
I 244 has been under construction inside the inner dispersal loop for 5 years straight now.
They completely did a ground up repair on this interstate that took over a year once they actually started tearing it out. Once they finished the repair, they immediately took it back down to two lane to rebuild the bridges over the Arkansas River.
Here are my questions to ODOT Planners.
1. Why on earth did they spend money rebuilding that section only to tear it out once it was finished?
2. How come we can not create smaller projects with more contracts to work on smaller sections to allow the jobs to be completed faster? One example would be the bridge itself on I244 over the Arkansas River. We have the engineering capacity to start work on both sides of the river and meet in the middle.
2-a.Why was this not planned this way?
2-b.Why did they not start that bridge project at the same time they started the complete build up of the non bridge surfaces.
This is just one section in Tulsa. But that model is used throughout the state. This is clearly not a funding issue. It is a planning and bid contracting issue. It would not be to much more complex or costly to work this way.
I 244 has been under construction inside the inner dispersal loop for 5 years straight now.
They completely did a ground up repair on this interstate that took over a year once they actually started tearing it out. Once they finished the repair, they immediately took it back down to two lane to rebuild the bridges over the Arkansas River.
Here are my questions to ODOT Planners.
1. Why on earth did they spend money rebuilding that section only to tear it out once it was finished?
2. How come we can not create smaller projects with more contracts to work on smaller sections to allow the jobs to be completed faster? One example would be the bridge itself on I244 over the Arkansas River. We have the engineering capacity to start work on both sides of the river and meet in the middle.
2-a.Why was this not planned this way?
2-b.Why did they not start that bridge project at the same time they started the complete build up of the non bridge surfaces.
This is just one section in Tulsa. But that model is used throughout the state. This is clearly not a funding issue. It is a planning and bid contracting issue. It would not be to much more complex or costly to work this way.
Seems like when I first got back here about half the roads in Tulsa were full of road cones and diversions...and that was before "Shovel Ready" Obama dangled the funding.
The stretch in front of Hard Rock is nice since they finished.
The stretch in front of Hard Rock is nice since they finished.
I find it hard to believe that ODOT sits in their planning meetings and say "hey lets f#$k up the roads around here". I'm sure if any one of us were to sit in and ***** and ask questions they would have a good reason of why they are doing what they are doing.
C
Clay
Guest
What is planned is not always what happens. Like I said earlier, when Obama offers up money, our politicians will jump through fire to meet the requirements and get it. If that means letting several projects all at once, then thats what they do. It had nothing to do with the planning originally.
So yes, your right, there is a reason for everything that ODOT does, although not always the best reason but at some point its out of us "little guys" hands.
Obama didnt ask us how we would like to recieve the stimulous...in payouts over several months or lump sum all at once. He wanted to instantly stimulate the economy. Well, like most of Obamas plans, it had flaws.
Sounds like "Cash for Clunkers" applied to road construction.
C
Clay
Guest
With better intentions and longer lasting results. It really will be an improvement once finished.
The wife and I were in Tulsa the other day for a 5k she was going to run in. Not knowing what they had done I mistakenly took the bike. All I can say is that while that place is hell on a car, it has been made just damn dangerous for a motorcycle. I don't understand how someone hasn't been killed on one of these transitions. You can rest assured when someone does Tulsa or ODOT will have to pay dearly for their neglect.
They won't, but they should.
I'm thoroughly convinced that the ODOT and the legislature has been negligent in their responsibilities. This mess isn't the poor dumb engineer's fault, it's the fault of the people that withheld the money to make the upgrades years ago and then it's the fault of the ODOT for starting all of the projects at once. "The money's going to expire", that's the dumbest excuse ever.
Clay can make all of the excuses for the ODOT that he wishes, but the doesn't change the fact that those tards screwed the pooch.
