signs probably run about $250 each my company buys handicap signs when paving parking lots and they are usually $125 a piece and we are a private company buying them, no tellin the state probably paid $250 or more for them. i take the darn exit home every night and those signs are DRIVING ME CRAZY. they are so close together, it's like they were afraid a car was going to park between them or something. did they have some extra stock are something? why not return them for crying out loud? have you seen a car park there? I haven't in 2.5 years I have lived here. just a sad commentary to how wasteful our governments can be, even given the times we are in....when are they going to get it???
Anyone notice recently that one of the signs has been knocked over? I guess you can park in that spot now! I'll race you to it!
Didn't WRAL do a story about this the other night? I missed it, anybody know what was said as far as the reason for the signs?
What Mr. Whitley says makes sense. Signs spaced at 200' apart sounds like a good distance on paper, but driving by, maybe 500' would have been better. Still, they are saving money though. I work for DOT in another Department. Believe me, we are cutting back costs. I'm not going into many details, but small stuff like cutting our water back in bathrooms to next to nothing to reconsidering methods of construction in all areas. DOT is trying to be good stewards for us citizens. Government has its problems, but most of the good goes unnoticed because it is too easy to critisize things that don't have obvious answers. Like my lack of good spelling!
you must have missed the last quotation about $4000 for signs compared to $40000 for shoulder reconstruction each year. Not to mention the legal liability that comes with excessive edge of pavement dropoffs. so over the next 10 years they could potentially save close to a half million dollars, thats a waste? The reason they space them at 200 feet is to limit the area available for a truck to pull over on the shoulder.
Wow! Didn't know this was going to get nasty. First of all, it does still "appear" that there is room for a truck to pull over - in between the signs. I have never actually seen a truck parked anywhere along this stretch. And - I have never seen any repairs being done to the shoulder or noticed any need for it. Plus, the signs are ugly. Would rather have seen some pretty trees planted. That would have taken care of the truck drivers in a more environmentally friendly way.
you cant plant trees that close to the roadway, that would be a potentially deadly hazard for people who cant keep their car on the road.
I guess we will have to take out all the trees along 95 and 40, and all the backroads, and that one at the corner of McLemore and Indian Camp....
I believe there is what they call a "clear zone" which is a distance off the travel lane where certain obstructions are not permitted. This distance obviously changes based on the type of road. Its a lot easier to gather some facts rather than guess, no?
Wow... you burned me bad on that one. I don't think I will recover. <slinks away from the keyboard> <ok, I am back> Tell me, why is this so important to you? Did you personally sign for this waste? I have no issue with a few signs, but 40 of 'em? Give me a break. And how about the medians on 440 and 40? What about concrete barriers? Asking seriously here, since you are in the know maybe you could actively participate in the discussion rather than pull the Comic Book Guy act.
if being born with half a brain and an ounce of common sense makes me "in the know" then consider me "in the know". Im going by the facts that were stated and doing math to figure it is not a waste of my money if these signs deter truckers from pulling over on the side of the road and rutting the shoulders. Concrete barriers are used to seperate oncoming traffic when not enough area is available to provide a safe distance between oncoming traffic or to protect traffic from obstructions such as bridge columns, same with guardrail. If the ditance is available, such is on areas of I-40, then nothing would be necessary. This also probably changes depending on the function of the road, i.e speed limit.
Awe... look at that - you got me AGAIN!!! You just can't help yourself... I know what concrete barriers are for. Thanks.
Is that all you have? I'm sorry. Those of us will a full brain and common sense sometimes forget that there are people like you on the board.