A Rant for Paul

It's 8:30, and for the first time EVER, I think, Nathan's still asleep. He did get to bed late, but usually that doesn't matter.... He's up with the sun.

That being the case, I'll post Paul's carefully-researched rant while I enjoy my breakfast burrito (with jalepenos!) and coffee.

Now don't get me wrong - this is a rant I'd usually go off about, too, but he did all of the research.

I don't know if any of you get on the stretch of Old Highway 50 between Williamsburg and Ottawa that often, but on our way home last night, we noticed they'd made an addition. I think we noticed it last time we drove that stretch, but at night it's glaringly obvious. And I do mean glaring.

See, Old 50 is a curving road. It meanders it's way through the county like so many old highways. The curves have been there for years, ever since that highway was constructed, like almost 80 years ago (at least). They're not something new. And we're not talking switchbacks here, folks. Just gentle, meandering curves! But apparently the county decided that folks weren't aware of the curves, and that they needed to put up a bunch of these signs to make folks aware that there are curves in the road.

And by a bunch of signs, I mean 158. In 12 miles.

We first noticed them on the long curve just as you leave Williamsburg. You can't help but notice them. They have placed at least 25 of these signs along that curve. That's what started the whole counting spree. We're not usually that obsessive. Even me.

We discussed the "why" between countings. Which gave us like 30 seconds of speculation between each curve. There were no less than 5 posted at any slight bend in the road. Have there been that many accidents along 50 recently? Do people leaving the rib joint need that much help realizing there are curves in the road? Even if they are a little sloshed, it's not like you can't see them if you're going at a normal amount of speed with your headlights on. But just in case, we now have 160 Golden Beacons for Franklin County drunks!

We did notice that for over half of the trip, the signs were all stationed in multiples of 5: 5, 10, or 15 at every curve. Then all the sudden there was only 9 at one.... Then 14.... Then 8... Which lead to speculation: maybe the workers putting them up took some ribs and beer to go?

When we got home, Paul went right to the research. This is what he found.

Signs: $40 each

Posts: $18 each

Bolts: $1 for two (two per sign)

So we're looking at $59 per sign. And let me remind you, there were 158 signs. Do you want me to do the math? That's $9,322. Just for the signs.

Continuing....

Let's say it took 3 guys to do the job. And lets say it took 3 days. Yes, I know, it would take one good ol' farm boy one day to do the job. But these are county workers.... Two have to lean on shovels making sure the third is doing the job correctly. And then lets not forget the possibility of ribs to go..... I'm sorry, I digress.

And let's say they get paid $10 an hour. I'm sure it's a lot more than that, but lets just say it. Mainly because I can figure $10 in my head much easier than $17.86.

So 3 guys, 3 8-hour days, at $10 an hour..... $720.

For a grand total of: $10,042.

For curve signs.

On a curvy road.

That everyone already knew was curvy.

Now here's the rant: If they have that type of money to spend on unnecessary road signs, then WHY THE DEUCE can't they keep roads at our end of the county properly maintained? The roads are in a constant state of washout, due to the fact that they have not maintained the ditches - so water runs down the road every time it rains, carrying off all the gravel.

And our taxes went up again this year. Looking at this one example (I'm sure there's others) of what I would call completely unnecessary spending, again I say.....

WHAT. THE. DEUCE.