Why do road projects take years and years to complete? (Indianapolis: contractors, closing)

[ischyros]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

Agreed.

The I-69 project from Indy to Bloomington was in progress when I left three years ago. Best I can tell, it's still going at a snail's pace.

Yeah the phase of the project through Bloomington up to Martinsville was an enormous boondoggle with everyone blaming everyone else. I think it finished over 2 years behind schedule. They've now just started on the section through Martinsville. When we were through Memorial Day weekend, they had building shuttered ready to be torn down and lots and lots of trees down getting ready for it. They also had the road down to one lane each direction which had traffic seriously backed up on a Saturday morning. I'm not sure if that's related to the project or something else, though. For someone with in-laws that live in southwest Indiana, though, I cannot wait until 69 is complete to Indy. 37 is a huge pain.

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by ischyros

Yeah the phase of the project through Bloomington up to Martinsville was an enormous boondoggle with everyone blaming everyone else. I think it finished over 2 years behind schedule. They've now just started on the section through Martinsville. When we were through Memorial Day weekend, they had building shuttered ready to be torn down and lots and lots of trees down getting ready for it. They also had the road down to one lane each direction which had traffic seriously backed up on a Saturday morning. I'm not sure if that's related to the project or something else, though. For someone with in-laws that live in southwest Indiana, though, I cannot wait until 69 is complete to Indy. 37 is a huge pain.

That was one of my biggest complaints when I went to Holiday World with the ex. There was no easy way to get to that area from Indy. A straight shot down 69 would be much better than heading to Louisville then going over.

[ischyros]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

That was one of my biggest complaints when I went to Holiday World with the ex. There was no easy way to get to that area from Indy. A straight shot down 69 would be much better than heading to Louisville then going over.

It still isn't a straight shot. You still have to go some 50 miles or so off I-69. Google shows it's about the same amount of time to take I-69 to US 231 down through Jasper as it is to go I-65 to I-64 in the Louisville area. Once I-69 is complete, while you still have to go 50 miles off the the interstate to get there, removing the stoplights along SR 37 in Indy and Martinsville will likely make that route faster.


Personal gripe, I really don't get the 55 mph speed limit on 69 through Bloomington. Fort Wayne it never drops below 65. And it's a lot more congested up there than in Bloomington. But it's 55 mph all the way through there. Seems like a huge speed trap when the road is 3 lanes wide.

[Ed Ferris]

Latest word is that the construction in Richmond will be finished by the end of July, and was delayed because of wet weather. Apparently those workers are so delicate they can't be exposed to rain. Or is it the concrete that will melt?
If everything that is still torn up can be repaired in two months, why wasn't it done three years ago? What is so difficult about getting on the job and getting it done?
I think what we need is a State DOT that has its own crews. The existing contractors don't work.

[Berteau]

Originally Posted by ischyros

It still isn't a straight shot. You still have to go some 50 miles or so off I-69. Google shows it's about the same amount of time to take I-69 to US 231 down through Jasper as it is to go I-65 to I-64 in the Louisville area. Once I-69 is complete, while you still have to go 50 miles off the the interstate to get there, removing the stoplights along SR 37 in Indy and Martinsville will likely make that route faster.


Personal gripe, I really don't get the 55 mph speed limit on 69 through Bloomington. Fort Wayne it never drops below 65. And it's a lot more congested up there than in Bloomington. But it's 55 mph all the way through there. Seems like a huge speed trap when the road is 3 lanes wide.

Speed trap is right. They always have cops there pulling people over. It goes from 70 to 55.

[Ed Ferris]

First, I apologize for the mix of typefaces and sizes. Apparently this software doesn't reformat pasted text.


I sent a complaint by e-mail to the Governor and this is the reply I got:

>

Thank you for contacting the Office of the Governor regarding the construction on South A Street (U.S. 27) in Richmond. Governor Holcomb has forwarded your concern to the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and I have been asked to respond on his behalf.

This section of U.S. 27 is an active construction zone at this time and one lane is open for travel. Paving operations are ongoing but the project has experienced significant delays due to the amount of rain we have received. Additional future delays may also be possible. However, this project is expected to be complete by the end this month.

Roads and bridges do not last forever, and construction is necessary to maintain, repair, and rebuild these transportation facilities. We balance the needs of motorists, taxpayers, the community, and highway workers on every INDOT project. Our goal is always to complete a project safely, as quickly as possible, to the greatest benefit to motorists and taxpayers.

We apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced and we appreciate your patience as we work to improve this roadway for the traveling public. Thank you for reporting your concern and I hope that this information is helpful to you.

Sincerely,


Jacob Walker, Governor’s Liaison
Transportation Services Call Center
Indiana Department of Transportation
>


What a bunch of arrogant a--holes! "Construction is necessary." Thanks for telling me that, I thought roads lasted forever [sarcasm]. "Significant delays due to the amount of rain." Over the past three years? Your crews can't work in the rain? How does that explain the months of clear weather when there was no work being done? or the months when there were one crew of three guys working (standing around, mostly)? "The project is expected to be complete by the end of this month." Why not the end of last month, or the end of last year, or two months after it was started, back in 2015?



Now I did not expect an honest answer, along the lines of "we let the contractors do what they want, because they make campaign contributions, and we don't care what happens in your hick town." But this level of bureaucratic contempt makes me mad. Boss Tweed, in a similar situation, asked "What are you going to do about it?" -- and ended his life in jail.

[rrtechno]

If you knew the answer, why did you bother to ask the question. And I am sure the state would willingly accept your offer to run the project more efficiently.

[Ed Ferris]

Well, just maybe Indiana citizens who vote will read this and be a little less willing to put a nonentity like Holcomb (Holbrook?) in the Governor's Office next election. Could it be barely possible that a politician will run for the office on a platform of cleaning up the DOT? (Hint: Democratic Party.)

Of course, some people just like to roll over and get screwed.

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

I think Richmond is one town that could be quite a bit more than what it is if the city innovators and visionaries would take the best advantage of Richmond's ideal location and figure out a way to draw visitors to come to Richmond and spend their money. Something like a NASCAR track, or a giant-sized outlet mall. It's been a real money maker for the City of San Marcos. People come from all over Texas and Mexico to go the big outlet malls in San Marcos.

Richmond is less than a 1 hour drive to Muncie, Dayton and Cincinatti, less than an 80 minutes to Indianapolis, and less than 2 hours to Ft. Wayne and Columbus, Ohio. That's close to 7 million people within a 2 hour drive of Richmond that Richmond isn't capitalizing on.

[indy_317]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

I think Richmond is one town that could be quite a bit more than what it is if the city innovators and visionaries would take the best advantage of Richmond's ideal location and figure out a way to draw visitors to come to Richmond and spend their money. Something like a NASCAR track, or a giant-sized outlet mall. It's been a real money maker for the City of San Marcos. People come from all over Texas and Mexico to go the big outlet malls in San Marcos.

Richmond is less than a 1 hour drive to Muncie, Dayton and Cincinatti, less than an 80 minutes to Indianapolis, and less than 2 hours to Ft. Wayne and Columbus, Ohio. That's close to 7 million people within a 2 hour drive of Richmond that Richmond isn't capitalizing on.

The problem is that on-line shopping is going to continue to kill the brick and mortar stores, so I doubt an outlet mall would thrive in Richmond. NASCAR? Have you see the attendance at some of the races in recent years? Abysmal is a great word for it. That would be a huge waste of money. Richmond, like Muncie, had their day back during the auto manufacturing boom time decades back. The next thing is to become some sort of tourist mecca. Richmond has no amazing geological features or topography so I don't see that happening.

Most young people I know absolutely hate the concept of driving any more than they have to and they want "stuff" to do. I really don't see what Richmond could offer or even capitalize on. The days of someone driving from Richmond to downtown Indy for a $60K/year job is over. The generation(s) willing to do that had sub-$1/gallon gas, cheaper insurance, could actually work on their own vehicles, and vehicles costs less. I like driving and I'd consider an hour long commute (one way) for the right job as I consider a career change. However, I'd need to see at least a 10% pay bump to make it worth it. And I don't even have kids to contend with.