10/6/2021 09:39

Road Construction

Yesterday I found a form letter left at my door.

"Construction is anticipated to begin on your road on or near 10/5/2021," it began.

They mean "the final phase of construction" given that construction on the water mains and sewer lines began in June by contrator who impersonated the Energizer Bunny. They just kept going and going. That was followed by curb, gutter, and sidewalk reconstruction by a second contractor who most often impersonated Rip Van Winkle.

Today we receive advance notice from a third contractor about the repaving which is set to begin "on or near" October 5. Since October 5 was the day the letter arrived, the word "advance" should perhaps be expunged. Then too the work hasn't actually started, so perhaps the phrase "on or near" should be reconsidered: "Sometime after 10/5/2021"? "Not before 10/5/2021"? "Between now and November"?

Personally I think the notice should say what construction they are going to do. I know it is repaving because that is the work which remains and because that same contractor did the same work on Division Street where Alek Dog and I watched what they did. Based on that earlier work I think that what the letter should have said would be more like this:

1. Within the next 14 days (or so, depending on weather) we will start to rip up whatever is left of your street.

2. After a few days of that we will wander away and do other stuff for a week or two.

3. Then we'll reappear with lots of big, heavy machines and put down a gravel base course. You'll hardly be able to use the street for 4 to 6 days, not even after work hours, because of the mess. But at the end there will be a smooth gravel road several inches lower than your driveway.

4. Depending on how things go we will probably wander off for another week to 10 days. It's hard to say how long.

5. You'll know when we are back because we'll have even bigger machines with us. We'll use them to lay down the main course of asphaltic cement concrete (ACC).

6. With the end of the construction year coming up so soon we may only disappear from the project for week.

7. Finally we'll come back and lay the ACC wearing course on top of the main course.

Alternatively they could just name the fictional character they will be playing and for how many months. I am going to go out on a limb and guess Odysseus.


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