Roads

By: Mr. Wilson on March 30, 2010
Among the common concerns about the Haymarket Revolution goes something like this: "Our roads are in terrible shape and you want to build an arena? Your priorities are out of whack!". I happen to partially agree. I agree that we have neglected and we continue to neglect our critical infrastructure (not just roads). I have a question for those of you who share the above concern, or a related variant. Let's say the nays win in May. Are you then willing to put serious effort -- perhaps involving a sizable bond issue -- into improving Lincoln's roads? That is, do you think better roads are an alternative to the Haymarket project, or is the state of Lincoln's roads merely an indicator that we can't take care of what we have and we shouldn't add to our burdens?

Comments

See what your friends and neighbors have to say about this.

andrew
March 30, 2010 at 1:48PM

Lincoln is a Pothole City.

Gene
March 30, 2010 at 1:56PM

<i>Let

Fletch
March 30, 2010 at 2:02PM

Based on what I have seen and read, I think all the cities in our region had similar pothole problems this year. Omaha had it as bad or worse, and heard the same things from Des Moines and places in Kansas.

I am all for beetter roads and some wider roads, but I think potholes are just as much due to weather variables as street conditions.

holy hannah
March 30, 2010 at 2:11PM

If I may, a little local history lesson…Lincoln voters had an opportunity to approve a $75 million bond issue in 2004 which would have funded 33 major road improvement projects in the city. The voters’ rejection of the bond was short-sighted, foolish and based upon misinformation. Lincoln voters have only ourselves to blame for our poor streets. Every time you hit a big pothole and think the transmission is going to drop out of your car, say outloud to yourself, “I should have voted for the road bond when I had the chance.” And when you have a chance to vote for the Haymarket project, tell yourself you won’t make the same mistake again.

Gene
March 30, 2010 at 2:27PM

That’s exactly what will happen when a road improvement bond issue is on the ballot again.

macappleteacher
March 30, 2010 at 2:47PM

Roads are WAAAY less interesting than concerts. Always have been always will be, (with perhaps the exception on a Lincoln bypass).

Won’t pass. I think things would have a fall apart to a point that it actually has an effect on personal property (the potholes were close this year) for it to be taken seriously.

Casper the friendly ghost
March 30, 2010 at 3:06PM

Let me be the first to say the roads bond won’t fix the worst roads, the cost to clean up all that contaminated asphalt is unknown and the “Powers” only want to resurface there (sic) own super-rich part of town.  VOTE NO TO ROADS!  The next meeting of the no2roads.com group will be at Gere Library this Saturday

holy hannah
March 30, 2010 at 3:16PM

And instead of fixing our roads, we should just spend a few dollars by upgrading our horse and buggy trails. In these hard economic times, we can’t afford to waste money on roads. When I was a kid, we got by with horses and buggies. That’s the problem with kids these days, they think they need fancy things like roads. They don’t know the meaning of the word “sacrifice.”

meatball
March 30, 2010 at 4:48PM

I voted for the roads bond, and I will vote for the Haymarket Revolution. If the nays do win out again, I will continue to be amazed at the power of misinformation, class warfare and the woe-is-me crowd.

Dave K
March 31, 2010 at 1:40AM

Looks like I’m the only one here who looks at the crappy streets and doesn’t think about a bond issue. 

I will forever vote no on all bond issues until 1) Those worthless electronic traffic ‘information’ signs are dismantled and we get our money back, and 2) The memory of the public bike art project is forever erased, 3) The 2-for-1 retirement fund match for city employees is rescinded and replaced with something that resembles the private sector (eliminating a good number of city employees would be nice too), and 4) Former Mayor Seng personally reimburses Lincoln for the several hundred thousand dollars she gave back to the fire engine broker after they screwed up the purchase. 

When I ride on Lincoln’s crappy streets, I think about horrible budgetary prioritization. For example, if we spent half the money from traffic lights on improving the streets that get us to the stop lights, then you wouldn’t need an M1A1 to go to Schaefer’s.

Mr. T
March 31, 2010 at 1:50AM

Dave K - the 2 for 1 match has been negotiated down to a 1.3 for 1 rate currently. The city has eliminated dozens of positions in the past few years. In fact, with the exception of police/fire, the number of city positions has dropped in recent years, even though the population and area of the city has increased (and continues to increase).

Dave K
March 31, 2010 at 2:00AM

Oh, thanks for reminding me. ... 5) The city ambulance service returns to the private sector. 

The 1.3-to-1 match is only for employees hired after May 1st.  The 2-to-1 match will be retained for existing employees.  Remember when the mayor and city council announced they were going to pass an ordinance to reduce the match, and then learned that they are at the mercy of the unions?  These are the people who are going to run the arena project.  LOL!!!

Mr. T
March 31, 2010 at 2:12AM

Dave K - Of course the 2 for 1 match will remain for current employees, because that was negotiated by contract. The new rate applies to newly hired employees. Or do you actually expect the City to breach its contract with current employees? Didn’t think so.

Dave K
March 31, 2010 at 2:26AM

No.  I expect them to re-negotiate the contract to rescind the match.  Well, I don’t expect them to, but that’s what needs to be done to meet #3 in my post above.

I just wanted to follow-up because the statement that it’s been negotiated down is misleading because it applies to exactly no one right now.

Matthew Platte
March 31, 2010 at 4:06AM

Um, I think we decided to move that meeting to the South Street Library so’s people wouldn’t have to drive past the Country Club to attend.

Matthew Platte
March 31, 2010 at 4:15AM

Anybody here have blue street signs on the road in front of their house, or do we all sport those socialist green signs?  I’m wondering how the private enterprise roads are holding up this year.  Chief Cassidy doesn’t seem to like the blue signs http://lpd304.blogspot.com/2010/03/blue-sign.html but heck, at least We don’t have pay for maintenance on those roads.

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