Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Needed improvements begin on I-295

Summer doesn't arrive officially until next week; but Tuesday sure did feel like it was here now.  I tackled my lawn and riding around on my tractor in the bright sun was just plain hot.  I don't know what the official temperature was around here Tuesday, but I don't believe it.  I don't like hot.

Before my temperament took a turn for the worse Tuesday, after a week off from my senior fitness stuff I returned to the physical therapy/gym place.  The temperature and humidity were perfect early in the morning and for the first time in a long while, I had a good session and my body never objected.  I'm not sure if it were the weather or the vacation that turned the tide.

We'll see what happens over there Thursday.

As for the weather, did you see the forecasted high temperature for Friday?

I had said last week that I would refrain from mentioning politics here at least until the first of September.  I'm going to break my moratorium for just a moment to thank everyone for voting against the so-called tax reform referendum.  I didn't want higher taxes.  Now that's not to say we don't need tax reform; we do as we are one of the highest tax states in the land.  But to get a true reform, we need a spending reform, too.  State and local governments have simply got to get the out of control spending under control and then cut our taxes for a true reform. 

That tax reform the last Legislature passed was nothing but a shift in burdon and would only in actuality send more tax dollars to Augusta.

And congratulations to Waterville Mayor Paul LePage for winning the republican nomination for governor.  As you probably guessed, he was the candidate I supported.

Motorists are going to be a little inconvenienced for the next two years while work crews  work on improvements to I-295 through Portland.  Along with resurfacing the highway some improvements are planned for various bridges and ramps.  From what I've read, the Franklin Arterial ramp will get a major overhaul.  That one is seriously needed.

Before I retired in the mid 1990s, that was my major route to and from work on a daily basis.  There were times when that ramp was a real nightmre.  The major problem back then, as I recall, was the backup and tie-up at the Marginal Way intersection.  That's one improvement that's long overdue. 

If the improvement project is planned with the care and motorist consideration that was used for the ramps on and off I-195 at Western Avenue in South Portland where a couple lanes were added and major fixes to the southbound off ramp and the northbound on ramp were made, motorists' inconveniences will be minor.  I think an excellent job was done by construction crews was accomplished there.

The new project will see improvements between Scarborough and Falmouth.  To help control inconvenience, much of the work, especially the paving, will be done at night.

Finally, I'm going to try just three posts a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, for a while to see how that works out.  I just thought I'd mention that to you in case you see frequent repeats.

GiM

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