Wednesday, July 6, 2011

I'll be the roundabout...

The roundabout nearest Atkins Market will allow easy access to West Bay Road (and the Market)

Atkins Corner roundabouts are starting to take shape. Although Baltazar Contractors, the low bidder at $6 million, was nowhere to be seen this fine morning as no state jobs are worked the week of July 4th . I guess that is why the project requires two years for completion, although rumor has it they are a few months ahead of schedule.

A water truck is being used for dust mitigation--but not this week

Second Roundabout at Bay Road just below Atkins Market and above Hampshire College


"Call it morning driving thru the sound and in and out the valley."

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Actually there are plenty of construciton jobs(state jobs) being worked this week.. I saw some today in fact....

DaveMB said...

This short video shows what appears to be the desired end result of this project:

Anonymous said...

So how much of the funding here was Obama stimulus money?

I know it's unfashionable to give the man any credit these days, but I see people working construction on roads all over the Valley.

(Tidal wave of negativity to follow.)

Larry Kelley said...

Although a recent study showed each stimulus job created cost taxpayers $278,000.

I remember the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour during the height of the Viet Nam war citing a statistic that it cost taxpayers an average of $600,000+ per enemy killed.

"Hell, we can buy them off a lot cheaper than that," said Tommy.

Anonymous said...

I dont think the plan you showed is what they ended up doing. One road also goes behind the Atkins parking lot now where the orchard was.

Anonymous said...

"no state jobs are worked the week of July 4th"

Where do you get such nonsense? Do you make it up? People are working on road crews all over the place as usual.

Anonymous said...

The roads will look great. But Amherst would benefit more from a foreclosure boom on UMass student rental house slums. At least then property would be maintained and lawns mowed.

http://www.npr.org/2011/07/07/137647997/the-cost-of-owning-150-000-foreclosed-homes

"If they don't maintain the houses, then the neighborhoods go downhill, other people are put at risk and the housing crisis gets worse because you have still more downward pressure on overall house prices," Petrou says.

Larry Kelley said...

Problem is the slumlords make sooooo much money that the houses will never fall into foreclosure.

One guy owns five of the 11 rentals on Phillips Street.

Anonymous said...

Agreed - paired with town officials who could care less if local neighborhoods go downhill.

Anonymous said...

Do we get to respond to the news that Steve Rivkin is leaving Amherst and the school board.

Will he (too) sit in SC meetings displaying body language indicating he'd rather be elsewhere?
If so- he should resign now!

Larry Kelley said...

I think you did just respond.

Although you could go the next School Committee meeting and comment all you want during "Public Comment" period.

But then, you would have to give your name.

Anonymous said...

Now they're complaining about body language.

They are haters. And they can't help themselves.

And it's all "for the children".

Anonymous said...

Perhaps no one got the Yes reference, and, if so, I'm feeling really old.

Anonymous said...

I got the reference, and its been playing in my head ever since!

Anonymous said...

I also got the reference and its made me go and search out Yes music on the web! I loved their music back in the day.

Anonymous said...

I looked up YES. You are old.

CD said...

I think all state jobs stop work at noon on the Friday before (if it's a weekend) and resume that Tuesday. That's what I remember seeing on the MassDOT website, anyway.