Considering I commute against traffic, riding into Key West in the evening and out of town in the morning I wasn't particularly concerned by the signs of impending traffic jams that appeared between Big Coppitt and Sugarloaf Key. Actually I rather looked forward to some serious road improvements on a highway that has become rutted and pock marked with time.
I notice the poor state of the Highway much more on my Bonneville because in part, I can pick and choose my route through the worst of the decaying asphalt. But when I forget and do hit a pot hole or a rut or a rippled section of roadway the bike bounces quite heavily. Well, I thought, I'm glad some Federal stimulus money will be available to start to smooth out the ride. Apparently not.
The flashing bill boards had promised work was to begin on April 25th but so far there is no sign of anything. Indeed the signs have been pulled off the roadway and parked on Sugarloaf Key next to the fire station. 
And they are still blinking their message of impending roadworks on April 25th, 2011.
I have seen no reason given in the newspaper for the delay, or cancellation, so I have no idea what happens next. Large trucks run the highway every day to keep our stores just-in-time inventory going and those trucks tear up the roadway better even than frost and freezing. 
I hope they do the work. Money has run out for sewer building so that project has stalled while the county considers a "public-private partnership" which based on the experience of Stock Island will be a corrupt disaster. Perhaps with Quantitative Easing in decline, supposedly we missed the boat for this shovel ready project. It wouldn't be the first time- not after the governor threw away 29,000 jobs by cancelling the (Medium) High Speed Rail project. That $2.4 billion was going to keep freshly unemployed NASA workers in the state when the space program dies down. Not any more. Oh well, at least we still have sunshine in Florida, even if there is no work.
I notice the poor state of the Highway much more on my Bonneville because in part, I can pick and choose my route through the worst of the decaying asphalt. But when I forget and do hit a pot hole or a rut or a rippled section of roadway the bike bounces quite heavily. Well, I thought, I'm glad some Federal stimulus money will be available to start to smooth out the ride. Apparently not.
The flashing bill boards had promised work was to begin on April 25th but so far there is no sign of anything. Indeed the signs have been pulled off the roadway and parked on Sugarloaf Key next to the fire station. And they are still blinking their message of impending roadworks on April 25th, 2011.I have seen no reason given in the newspaper for the delay, or cancellation, so I have no idea what happens next. Large trucks run the highway every day to keep our stores just-in-time inventory going and those trucks tear up the roadway better even than frost and freezing. I hope they do the work. Money has run out for sewer building so that project has stalled while the county considers a "public-private partnership" which based on the experience of Stock Island will be a corrupt disaster. Perhaps with Quantitative Easing in decline, supposedly we missed the boat for this shovel ready project. It wouldn't be the first time- not after the governor threw away 29,000 jobs by cancelling the (Medium) High Speed Rail project. That $2.4 billion was going to keep freshly unemployed NASA workers in the state when the space program dies down. Not any more. Oh well, at least we still have sunshine in Florida, even if there is no work.
2 comments:
ARRA funds had to be committed (spent) to a certain level by the end of June; if this level was not met, the funding agency pulls the money.
I'm not saying that's what's happening to road work here - but the pulling of allocated stimulus funds will happen all over the nation if they were not spent on the projects they were earmarked for in the alloted time.
This may not be a bad thing, depending on your point of view - funds returning to the Feds might be used to pay down our atrocious debt.
Fiscally responsible on Fleming (As in living a debt-free life),
Chuck.
Ha ha very funny. "Money not spent might be used to pay down our debt."
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