Three weeks ago construction crews began skimming the asphalt on Linden Street/PA 191 from Butztown Road north to US22. As you know, this is one of only three "escape routes" north out of the City of Bethlehem. It is also heavily traveled and only one lane each direction until north of Oakland Road in Bethlehem Township.
Traffic was reduced to one lane that had to be alternately shared by northbound and southbound traffic. At times, southbound traffic was backed up all the way to 22 and northbound traffic backed up to Azar Market at Johnston Drive.
Now the brilliant parts.
Last week - less than a week after the section of southbound Linden Street near East Boulevard had been resurfaced - construction crews began digging up the new asphalt. Brilliant!
And then, suddenly, resurfacing crews disappeared, leaving behind many sections that had been "skimmed" but not repaved. Why? For reasons only a government bureaucrat could invent, construction crews began digging a trench in the middle of Oakland Road extending several hundred feet east from the intersection with Linden Street. As of Tuesday, that trench digging was continuing - turning the intersection of Linden Street and Oakland Road into a massive choke point. With northbound sections of Linden Street north and south of Oakland Road still not repaved.
There's a reason why conservatives dislike monopolies. But, at least private-sector monopolies are regulated. Who regulates the government? The biggest and baddest of all monopolies.
Is this related to gas line work? Some municipalities seem to struggle with this as utilities regulated by PUC have no obligation or are less open about planned upgrades. When the window is short, municipalities can respond by deferring a paving project until upgrades are complete, however, longer term schedules may be less informed. A street paved this year as r could be dug up within 2 years. Maybe there is more coordination than meets the eye.
ReplyDeleteYour last paragraph asks who regulates GOVERNMENT monopolies. In today’s America, that answer would be NO ONE.
ReplyDeleteAt every level of government, checks and balances are formally in place. From names like Bylaws, Charters, Codes, up to and including our United States Constitution, guidelines are already in place, they’re just not taken seriously anymore.
America is failing right now. We live in a time where the attitude is “Do whatever you damn well please until someone steps up with the courage to call out your errors and stop you.
Unbiased Leadership Wanted. Apply within.
Most road, bridge & utility work is done by contractors, not the government and let me tell you the contractors screw-up often. The problem is with the people, not the government or private sector. The quality of government or at least elected officials is a reflection of the public.
DeleteI was caught in some of that crowded mess. I had pulled onto 191 heading south and as you can't make a left hand turn to go north (my desired direction) I eased into the left-hand lane to make turn into the candy store to pick up some treats and then turn right onto 191 north. While waiting to make left into store an emergency vehicle pulled behind me as no room to get around the south bound cars that tried to pull off road to accommodate the emergency vehicle amidst all the barriers. There I was in that lane with oncoming stream of cars headed north and the siren blasting for me to get out of the way. Where the hell was I supposed to go? Finally, a northbound car recognized my dilemma and stopped and allowed me to get out of the way. Hey emergency responder, as you blasted your siren, you may have had a critically ill patient on board but what if I had panicked and pulled into the path of the oncoming cars?
ReplyDeleteEPA just mandated replacement of lead pipes. Wait until that starts to happen.
ReplyDeleteIt has begun a while ago.
DeleteThe repaving project started only after curb and sidewalk work was done along with traffic light upgrades as well as gas mains. The project started at the intersection of Linden and Easton Avenue. That is much farther south than Butztown Rd. Either way it has been a complete mess!
DeleteCmon, let’s have more taxes, bigger government! These bureaucrats know better than us. Look how effective they run everything.
ReplyDeleteDon't Democrats want bigger Government
DeleteEveryone complains when something inconveniences them. Maybe Thode should have dug a little deeper and found out more, otherwise this is just fuel to anger people.
ReplyDelete1:52, Yeah, nut you have to admit Steve does it well.
DeleteThe mess of the streets are designs to cover for any other criminal acts. This is a public diversion for there up and coming 15 minute city's to keep us all on lock down.
ReplyDeleteI personally have my lock down immunity card in my wallet for just such an emergency.
This also happened on Route 378 (Wyandotte street). Replacing gas lines at night. Had single lane. The new gas lines were covered badly. Took a few seasons. Construction stopped during MusikFest. Then back at it afterwards. finally repaved and then the city had to dig up some water lines.
ReplyDeleteUgi did not hire the best contractors for that job what so ever
DeleteBernie, this is a PennDOT improvement project, and yes, it has been challenging to navigate one of the busiest roadways in and out of Bethlehem. The worst part is you never know which section is going to be limited to one lane, so you build an extra 5 or 10 minutes into your trip and still run into delays. But, I find that's a problem no matter where you're headed in the Lehigh Valley anymore.
ReplyDeleteCongestion on Linden Street has been on the rise for a while, and prior to this project, which seems to be lasting too long. Out near Route 22 and the Nazareth Pike (Linden Street) the truck traffic coming out of Brodhead Road and that industrial park has botched up that interchange for several years. Farther into the City, where once you may have been 3rd or 4th in line at a traffic signal, now you're 12th or more.
More people? More cars? More trucks? Poorer driving habits? Lack of enforcement? What else should we expect with the unfettered growth this area is undergoing? The lack of real planning for any kind of growth is in evidence everywhere, where the existing grid of roads is insufficient.
I drove the the William Penn Highway/Route 33 interchange the other day around 5:30 PM coming home from a real estate shoot in Easton. What a cluster, and developers want to build how many rental units on the former V7 property?
The same situation exists at the William Penn Highway intersection with Willow Park Road, where another over 200 rental unit project is proposed on the former Bethlehem Drive-In property.
We've become what so many have tried to escape in other areas!
(Sorry for wandering off a bit, but it's all interwoven.)
Dana Grubb is always spot on. He is very much level headed. It is ashame that many did not come out and vote him in as mayor.
DeleteAdding to the adventure I described above with the emergency vehicle that wanted me to turn in the oncoming traffic, I had an emergency dental appt. in that area of 191 repairs. Parked at bank as road to dentist not open and I was waved across 191 by flagman over the steaming tar. So much of road under construction I choose to go across where I at least had flagman stop traffic. Anyone know solvent safe for bottom of sneaker that would remove tar?
ReplyDeleteYou're better off grabbing a new pair.
DeleteI think I love Dana just a smidge more than I love you, Bernie.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Dana would have made a great Mayor. By the way who is our Mayor?
ReplyDelete