Road construction- a passing thought

[Bobby Bass]

Just a passing thought on road construction. After fishing yesterday up near Central Lakes and seeing about a mile long lane of cars wating to go through the 4 way stop sign on Hgy 53 at Cotton and driving everyday from Duluth to Esko along the I 35 paving would it be nice if the state and the federal goverment would build two roads side by side. One that you can drive on and the other for them to screw around with every summer!! Question... where do they store all of them orange cones in the winter as we know where they store them in the summer!

[CrappieJohn]

Ever notice how early in the year they show up again?

I am convinced that the state employs "thinkers", those who think up ways to tie the traffic up at peak useage times. During the winter, while the state construction workers are too whimpy to work outside, they keep these cones somewhere inside, but under, the seat of the thinkers pants. ...sort of a thought provocation strategy. When the weather begins to show 20+ deggree nights in the spring, these guys official announce the upcoming year's traffic snarl areas. It is then that they can uncover the cones....hence my theory on cone storeage.

[Kab Dreamin]

We were through there a little over a week ago. Don't you think they could have rigged up a temporary traffic control light instead of the 4 way stop on one of the most heavily traveled roads in northern Minnesota?

On a semi-related note, I read an article in the Red Star and Tribune this past week regarding the federal funding the state is going to get and how part of it was going to be spent on making 53 a four-lane all the way to Cook and adding some more passing lanes from Cook to Int'l Falls. The writer took a shot at all of that money being spent on that project in a "sparsely populated area". It may be sparsely populated but the highway carries all of the traffic for thousands and thousands of people who vacation in that area and provide all of the tourism dollars that area depends on so heavily. I personally think it is a wise investment in infrasturcture. Alot better than a train from DT Mpls to the Mall of America.

[FOOT]

CT, your cone storage theory is a good one however, I have it on good authority the cones are no longer content to sit in a unheated, freezing cold building waiting for Spring. They now demand, and rightfully so, to be shipped to a warmer climate such as Florida or Arizona/New Mexico. With the recent numbers of hurricanes in and around Florida most of the cones are opting for the AZ/NM area but there are still a few die hards that want to continue to bask in sunny Florida.

Also, a new area is appearing to be very appealing to some cones and that area is the far south of California, down around San Diego. I believe these are probably illegal cones that want to be closer to their mother country.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Kab Dreamin, your right! all those people need to do is take one weekend out of the summer and watch the traffic on 53. I grew up in Mt Iron and made frequent trips to Cook/Vermillion in the summer 10 or fifteen years ago 53 could handle and average weekend. Now its like rush hour from friday night to sunday evening with a short break between saturday afternoon and sunday morning. Not to mention all the problems they have with accidents, injuries, and fatalities! I know there are several businesses that may not be in favor of the new highway, but I'm sure alot of people who frequently travel this stretch of road will appreciate its improvements!

P.S. The stupidest thing I've seen MNDOT do so far is the four way stop in cotton. I agree that there should be a temp. stop light or at least someone doing traffic control on the weekends. There is no excuse to have to waite in stop and go traffic for 5 miles (unless there is an emergency situation of course). Absolute Geniusses!!

[McGurk]

It's easy to complain about the traffic. "Wimpy" guys? These are the same guys I'm sure you see on the ice in their carharts every winter in the off-season. It's much more about the materials used and getting quality compaction than it is about the "wimpy" guys.

If you want a crappy road that will need massive repairs due to the axle-breaking potholes in 5 years, go ahead and work year round. These are tough roads to make when you need the same material to withstand 95 deg and glaring sun for 13 hours and 6 months later to handle -30 deg and freezing water 5 feet below in the subgrade. Go ahead and sign up for some Soils and Materials and/or Mix Design classes; I'm sure they welcome all suggestions that will improve the system without raising your taxes.

If they knew 15 years ago that the city folk would be driving north in the numbers that they are now, don't you think they would have done it back when it was quieter? I've got a feeling there would have been a post here back then titled "Waste of money widening 53."

Ok,Ok, I'll agree the the temporary traffic signals. 4way stops are the cheapest, safest way to let traffic through, but not the most convenient and expeditious.

Just shining a new light on the subject, the devil's advocate, McGurk

And just so you all know, the cones are stacked strategically about 25 feet high and covered with a roof for all of the salt/sand storage in the off season. Easier to see in a white-out.

[sakazulu]

I have been through that H53 4-way and I think the lights at the H65 Big Sandy bridges work as good as it going to get. Only Minnesota anglers know the best way around some of these areas. Everyone here honestly knows that the resort owners and related business' need improved roads to survive!

[Jeremy airjer W]

I'd like to see a road in Minnesota thats three years old that doesn't have any axle breaking (or filling removing) potholes!

I think this country and state is stuck in a save a little know and pay alot more to fix it later rut!

[augernaut]

I can't help but chime in here.... I'm a civil engineer by trade - albeit I live/work in Wisconsin (our roads are better than yours :-) I design and oversee construction for all types of roads/bridges.

First of all, road workers are the LEAST wimpy people you will find. Asphalt pavers work 14-16 hour days standing on/next to 220 degree asphalt all summer long. Other guys put in similar time. We don't work in the winter due to the properties of the materials we work with. Simply put, it's impossible to build a quality product with frozen ground, frozen gravel piles, and asphalt that cools off too quickly to be placed properly.

There is no good time for road construction, but we have created our own monster. Everyone demands good roads but doesn't want to pay for them. Everyone wants to be able to go from point A to point B without any interruptions and a smooth ride, all the time, no problems. It doesn't work that way.

Ok, I'm done, sorry for the rant :-) LET'S GO FISHING!!!

[Bobby Bass]

I would think that in reading my first post you would see that it was written in jest. Even the concept of two roads side bye side would be pointless, er way I think they call them freeways. Anyway we all know or have an idea of what it takes to build a road after all we are the ones who pay for them. But you must admit if you are coming South down HGY 53 and you are in a line 2 miles long inching forward 20' every 10 seconds or so and your radio is on listen to a news report of the price of gas. You think there might be a better way when you get to Cotton and find a 4 way stop and no cross traffic. No doubt it will be clear sailing when it is done and will be money well spent. But if we can't complain or wine what can we do? It's always to hot or to cold or no rain or to much rain but I don't ever hear that we caught to many fish!! But if that stop sign was not there I could have caught even more fish !! hahahhah