So in addition to those nickel-and-dime political lawn signs springing up around town like mushrooms after a summer rain, this Big-Boy went up yesterday on Rt. 116. Thankfully the State pays the $2,700 tab for the sign, and Palmer Paving--who won the bid--installed it.
The $2.3 million road resurfacing starts next month and will extend from Snell Street down to Hampshire College but skip the center of South Amherst, where my business is located.
The town "took over" (at tens of thousands in annual upkeep) this section of the state highway four or five years ago in order to redo the South Amherst center in the image and likeness of a quaint little French Village. That was years ago; thus far we did get a used traffic control signal--but no crosswalk.
And no little french bakery.
UPDATE: 1:00 PM
So back from my bike ride fertilizing the ground underneath all those green Vote Yes pro Override signs (Locked and loaded with a super-soaker squirter gun so I could fire from a public road.) I could not help but notice a second $2,7000 State sign on the other side of the 3-mile project.
And furthermore could not help but notice that they are only ONE-SIDED SIGNS. Hmm...even our overly-amateurish, do-gooder local politicos wanna be's with their loose change lawn signs figured out the value of two sided.
But not our illustrious state.
Larry, be factually correct:
ReplyDeleteThe town "took over" the piece of road so that it could lower the speed limit. Which it did.
And the taxpayers of Amherst are paying for what they wanted, a lower speed limit. And that is what democracy is all about.
Think about that the next time you pay your property tax bills....
I'm told little French Villages have fairly low speed limits.
ReplyDeleteCrisis! Tragedy! They're paving the road. God help us. French bakery? Not as long as these lungs draw a breath. Freedom Bakery!
ReplyDeleteLarry cover the Regional School Committee meeting tonight live, please...
ReplyDeleteOne of these signs has been up going east on Route 9 near the town landfill since last year...I've not noticed any work on that road (did I blink and miss it?)
ReplyDeleteSeriously Larry - please cover the meeting because I can't make it and wish I could...
ReplyDeleteEd
Okay everybody coming her chip in a dollar and I'll cover it.
ReplyDeleteYesterday that would have actually made me some serious money.
oh please Larry, we would love to have you covering the school committee. please. you're so brilliant and smart and fast. and you're so astute and observant and correct. you're the most brilliant guy in town. oh please Larry. cover the meeting tonight, please.
ReplyDeleteyours,
an obvious nitwit.
Ed, thats not why the town took over that section. They wanted complete control of the redo in that area to make it "pedestrian friendly" and have yet to do so. Ever try to cross at those lights? Let me know where the button is to get the walk signals to work. Oh wait, there are no walk signals. Sorry, kids, you're on your own.
ReplyDeleteLarry,
ReplyDeleteSouth Amherst center is just like the Champs d'Elysees. The cafe and patisserie and boulangerie are all there, you're just too stubborn to see them!
Does this stretch really need $2M in work? Seems OK to me last time I drove it. Other places would benefit more: been down S. Whitney Street lately? Maybe it's all about putting up signs.
Seems OK to me last time I drove it.
ReplyDeletewell you see, the state takes care of its roads, the town takes care of its lazy employees with exorbitant wages.
amherst roads are the worst anywhere, but the super can make 150g's.
Larry, two things:
ReplyDeleteFirst, I believe the $2700 figure of the ARRA signs is for the all-metal, metal post signs. These are wooden, so I would imagine they are a little cheaper. I don't know that for sure, though, because it's all bureaucratic.
Second, the ARRA sign on Route 9 going towards Belchertown is for a paving/resurfacing project by Palmer Paving which includes installing fire hydrants out toward Belchertown. It was started last fall so I would imagine it will pick up again during the construction season.