I-19 Losing Kilometer Signs

Sahuarita Sun ^ | March 6, 2009 | Philipe Franchine

[yorkie]

After nearly three decades of complaints from confused motorists, the Interstate 19 kilometer markers will soon be pulled out of the ground for good.

The state transportation board on Tuesday approved $1.5 million to replace the signs on the entire 100-kilometer — or 63-mile — stretch of I-19 from Nogales to Tucson. The funding is part of the federal stimulus package, which provides $521 million to the state for roads and bridges.

[SNIP]

The interstate starts at the U.S.-Mexico border and is part of the Canamex corridor intended to link Mexico, the U.S. and Canada along a trade route. For years, traffic engineers have heard from drivers and others who are confused by the metric signs, ADOT Tucson District Engineer Greg Gentsch said.

[yorkie]

From what I have read about the CanaMex Corridor, 10,000 homes will be removed from west of the Tucson area, for this Corridor, connecting Mexico to the US and Canada. Anybody have any information on that?

[yorkie]

Ping....

[goldstategop]

Good grief. Just convert all the road signage to kilometers. Canada completed the metric conversion in the 1970s and all road signage is in given in kilometers only.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[xjcsa]

I drove that stretch of highway a few years ago. It was weird.

[Lexinom]

This is very good news re: dumping the metric system. I've always felt that, while it is cleaner than the Imperial system we use, the very premise of the metric system is rather arrogant.

Not such good news about the demolition of homes in the Tucson area.

[aquila48]

Definitely the type of urgent infrastructure projects that we couldn’t possibly do without. Idiots!

[lefty-lie-spy]

This is sad. Its this one thing about the U.S being stuck on the imperial system that I find unbelievable and so far behind the times. We should be using metrics like everyone else. We do all our science in metrics, but can tell the difference between a centimeter and an inch in our homes. Sheesh.

[dfwgator]

I'm just glad we never implemented the "Decibet."

[Drango]

The funding is part of the federal stimulus package,

Thank you 0bama. Please save us.

[buccaneer81]

Good grief. Just convert all the road signage to kilometers. Canada completed the metric conversion in the 1970s and all road signage is in given in kilometers only.

I agree.

[dfwgator]

Sounds like just the kind of “busy work” program Obama and Co. will try to come up with as unemployment gets worse.

[buccaneer81]

After nearly three decades of complaints from confused dumb ass public school "educated"motorists,...

There. Fixed it for you.

[Redbob]

I don’t think they need to pay to take the signs down; just stop replacing them...

[buccaneer81]

Sounds like just the kind of “busy work” program Obama and Co. will try to come up with as unemployment gets worse.

I have no problem with it. We have metric signs between Columbus and Cincinnati, and they're all over New England, too. We should have gone over to the metric system decades ago. We'd be way ahead economically by now. Besides, it makes sense because of its simplicity.

[yorkie]

"Thank you 0bama. Please save us."

Oh, he gonna save us - He gonna pay our mortgages and pay for our gas at the pumps, don'cha know?

[buccaneer81]

I drove that stretch of highway a few years ago. It was weird.

If you mean because of the use of the metric system, you would find parts of Ohio and New England "weird" as well.

[Lexinom]

Ever notice how adoption of the metric system seems to go hand-in-hand with socialism? Coincidence maybe?

[buccaneer81]

Ever notice how adoption of the metric system seems to go hand-in-hand with socialism? Coincidence maybe?

Just the opposite IMHO. Doing conversions takes time and money. Capitalism would frown on that.

[fnord]

“the very premise of the metric system is rather arrogant. “

an arrogant premise? you mean, the very idea that we can or should measure things is hubris?

[Lexinom]

Weak little weenie countries use the Metric System. Capitalism frowns on gov't make-work projects, esp. of the scope needed to make this conversion.

Also, the Metric System is based on a rather arrogant set of assumptions that insidiously usurp God with Man (capital-M). The thought behind the Metric System is the same type of thought that robs man of any ultimate meaning in the universe.

Yes it is a cleaner system, but an inherently wicked one as well.