, I WANT a toll road there. Especially if it would have gone through as originally planned and been privately funded/operated. That means the folks who built it would have a vested interest in finishing it quickly and maintaining it properly.
TxDot, and I know you find this hard to believe because I do too, but TxDot is financially stretched thin and say that the only expansion of north side freeways in San Antonio will be done through the use of tolls, or at least to get ready for the use of tolls.
DING DING DING. Now why couldn't every jackass pe ioning against said roads on the corners of these intersections see that too?
Well that is only the most important part of the EIS they left out there in that area. You can't fault certain agencies for not approving it, when there are legitimate issues that have to be addressed and looked at before proceeding. The EIS largely would set out all the various controls for avoiding hte pollution, good job by TxDot not doing their job.
Most homebuilders are lazy sons of es that dont care about anything but maximizing profits at the lowest costs, its cheaper to ditch the paint can than to actually remove it like youa re supposed to. Or they are just lazy, probably more two than one. Blame those that are supposed to be making sure this doesnt happen.
a lot of that is due to their own wastfulness, but this is true by and large.
Because COPS/Metro Alliance/NAMBLA/PETA/Hippies For Nixon and a host of other idiots I can't remember drank the Kool-Aid and started claiming that there was tax money in place that TxDOT earmarked for the expansion and going with private enterprise would mean loss of revenue on tolls collected.
That's the worst part though, the builder had all those appropriate controls in but was powerless to do anything about the cancellation of the project. But you're right, it's TxDot's job to have that in the EIS in the first place, even if the builder is planning to take necessary control measurments to prevent this stuff anwyay. TxDot will come out even better though because of it. Once they are done with the actual study, everyone in the area will be absolutely screaming for the roads to get built because traffic is just getting worse and worse. Guess what the average speed on 281 from 1604 to Borgfield is during a 24 hour cycle................17.............Need I say more?
Not so much there wastfulness as it is there lack of planning. They often pay a contractor based upon past estimates without ever actually really crunching the numbers for materials/labor/costs. Contractors around the state love them for it too because they make money hand over fist off of their poor planning. Unfortunately, TxDot usually slows every job down as well because of this very lack of planning and the subsequent change orders that come with every phase of every job to save the money that they should have saved in the first place.
Another thing to remember (I believe I have this right), is that TxDOT is on the hook to pay off the contractor a percentage of the entire contract since they had to stop his work. Yea, that'll fill those tax coffers faster to help pay for new roads that aren't toll roads.
And thats how TxDot survives and is able to get away with it. Its the story with them throughout the entire state. They are one of the most wasteful en ies in this entire state, but who is really going to put the hammer down on them to force them to get their act together?
This was my favorite part as well. None of these people really stopped to figure out who would/will benefit from these roads being built. They saw a foreign company step in and put up the money to build the thing and only saw that this foreign company would be the one to collect the tolls. What these jackasses didn't look at was how long they would collect these tolls. I will assure you that it wasn't all that long before an American company would begin collecting a fraction of the tolls and the state taking home the rest, thus collecting enough money to begin work on other roads that need it as well. These people didn't look at the grand scheme of things, they only looked at the tolls and how they would affect their bottom lines now.
You are correct sir, and I won't even tell you the amount as it will drive you insane.
well their lack of planning can be construed as a form of wasting public tax moneies.
Kind of makes you want to go work for them doesn't it?
Absolutely
You're right to a point John. TxDOT bids out the work and all work goes to the lowest qualified bidder. Jobs go slower beacuse they break out each project into a load of smaller projects which means multiple contractors/lack of coordination amongst contractors/engineer approval on things like concrete tests and such. If you look at how they did the repairs to the Queen Isabella causeway and even the 281 expansion with Zachary in the 80's, that's how to run projects right. TxDOT needs to be released from the public bidding restraints they are under now and be able to enter into risk/reward, shared savings, or other types of contracts in that exist in the real world and you'll see things built much faster.
Yes, you are absolutely correct. I was just stating one of the many issues that cause these issues within TxDot. Low-bidder is the reason 410/San Pedro right next to NorthStar mall is in the shape it's in (way to go previous estimates) as well as why 10/410 is just shy of two years behind.
This can just as easily be blamed on the contractor though, they are the ones that team up with other contractors to join these joint ventures and share the risk/reward for each job, when it's done that way of course. TxDot doesn't care if two, three, or even a dozen companies team up for a job, as long as that en y is the low bidder, they get the job.
Having said that, I just read your quote again, and I think you meant different sections of the same road(s) and the communication needed in order to complete, but again, this has to be done as most contractors in the business of Texas Highways would be stretched to thin to focus on one "giant" job, unless they plan well in advance, something that more often then not, TxDot doesn't grant the time or ability to do so. Furthermore, this also allows TxDot the ability to call the same job, several different names and spread the risk around to multiple contractors.........either way though, TXdot blows.
410/281 southside
lovely interchange going south on 281 there
Anyway, back to the point, yes, Stone Oak sprawl is unreal, unfortunately, TxDot didn't do anyone any favors in order to improve the situation, but neither did the tree-hugging shortsighted jackasses that pe ion this town for every little issue.
So where to go? I'm looking at buying some land to yet again build another house on. We have been eying the Leon Springs area along with Fair Oaks. Boerne is a bit to far out for me. I'd LOVE to find some property with a nice view of the city like Crownridge has but land like this is hard to find.
Depends Snake, where do you work and how much do you want to spend? Personally, I'd stay off 281 (unless you need to jump 46 to 35 or 10) because of the traffic and the land is overvalued IMO.
I can work from anywhere so location is not too important. I do want to be close to the city. The thought of having to drive 40-50 miles to get to a shopping center, movie theater, etc doesn't interest me.
As far as price goes...looking in the $5-6 range. I'm sure if I build another home, it will end up costing me more than it would finding an already built one. I really want a nice view of the city but I'm finding that this will probably only happen if I buy a lot in a subdivision and will only have an acre or less to build on. I'm not a fan of having the neighbors house right on top of your's so 2 acres would be great. Who knows?? haha.
As you said, I will not be moving to another location in Stone Oak or anywhere out 281 for sure.
I'm not gonna lie to you snake, you're not gonna get much for 5 to 6 bucks.
Damn! Ever since W got elected, I cant get jack for $6 bucks anymore.
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