[Vision2020] construction maze in Moscow every June

[Philip Cook]

Paul,

Your premise is false. The reasons more road construction begins in
June is that the weather is more likely to be warm and dry, and
traffic levels are lower because students are gone. (Usually the City
and ITD get criticized for starting projects too late in the
year---August---just as the students are returning.)

Most streets in town are owned by the City. The City's fiscal year
runs October-October so any connection between fiscal years and
City-funded street reconstruction is coincidental. The University's
and state (e.g., ITD) fiscal years do run July to July, but
construction projects are usually planned and bid several months in
advance.

I'm not sure what all projects are on the plate for this summer, but
I'll ask for a rundown this afternoon at Transportation Commission and
report back

Philip


> Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:09:50 -0700
> From: Paul Rumelhart <godshatter at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [Vision2020] construction maze in Moscow every June

> Is it true that more construction happens in June here in town because
> the money has to be spent before fiscal year or it won't be reallocated
> again?  Presumably the fiscal year that is being talked about is July 1st.
>
> If this is true, is there some reason why the whole fiscal year can't be
> budgeted better so that more of what is needed to be done is handled at
> the start of the fiscal year instead of at the end?
>
> I'm just asking because I'm tired of finding alternate routes not
> blocked by construction again and again so that you have to get creative
> to get anywhere.  It's not as bad this year as in previous years, but
> the construction on 6th, 3rd, Jackson and other places is starting to
> make it interesting when you have to go anywhere near there.  I'm just
> wondering if it's destined to get worse in the next couple of weeks
> before the 1st.
>
> Also, I don't mean to sound ungrateful that our streets are being
> fixed.  I'd just like the construction to be stretched out a bit more
> both in time and space.
>
> Anybody know what's on the list to be fixed in the near future?
>
> Paul