Roads to Ruin: Towns Rip Up the Pavement

Wall Street Journal ^ | July 17, 2010 | LAUREN ETTER

[reaganaut1]

...

Paved roads, historical emblems of American achievement, are being torn up across rural America and replaced with gravel or other rough surfaces as counties struggle with tight budgets and dwindling state and federal revenue. State money for local roads was cut in many places amid budget shortfalls.

In Michigan, at least 38 of the 83 counties have converted some asphalt roads to gravel in recent years. Last year, South Dakota turned at least 100 miles of asphalt road surfaces to gravel. Counties in Alabama and Pennsylvania have begun downgrading asphalt roads to cheaper chip-and-seal road, also known as "poor man's pavement." Some counties in Ohio are simply letting roads erode to gravel.

The moves have angered some residents because of the choking dust and windshield-cracking stones that gravel roads can kick up, not to mention the jarring "washboard" effect of driving on rutted gravel.

But higher taxes for road maintenance are equally unpopular. In June, Stutsman County residents rejected a measure that would have generated more money for roads by increasing property and sales taxes.

"I'd rather my kids drive on a gravel road than stick them with a big tax bill," said Bob Baumann, as he sipped a bottle of Coors Light at the Sportsman's Bar Café and Gas in Spiritwood.

Rebuilding an asphalt road today is particularly expensive because the price of asphalt cement, a petroleum-based material mixed with rocks to make asphalt, has more than doubled over the past 10 years. Gravel becomes a cheaper option once an asphalt road has been neglected for so long that major rehabilitation is necessary.

[steve86]

Yeah, as a dirt bike (powered) and BMX bike rider, I am wondering what this discussion is all about. I am 55 and never grew up. Rode with a bunch of nine year olds the other day.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Question: "What are the hundreds of billions of stimulus dollars and gas tax revenues being used for?"

Answer: Providing equal incomes for women and minorites! Plus endless vacations with ice cream for The Divine One.

[j.argese]

I’m not talking politicians, I’m talking the foot soldiers of Census takers and revenuers. I was born and raised in a small town in Central NJ, a small county road, one small local road and one dirt and gravel road up until 1979. The local constabulary escorted county and state officials when visiting because they had the tendency to get lost.
Anecdotal? Maybe. Take these government white shoe types out of suit and tieville and they are out of their element right quick.

[Just A Nobody]

Some counties in Ohio are simply letting roads erode to gravel.

Not the county where I live. I moved back to this county 12 years ago and all the roads around the area where I live were in terrible shape. They were never repaired...rarely received a band aid fix and remained nearly unnavigable UNTIL these signs went up:

Of course it will be difficult to "Put America to Work" in this county, as a majority are on welfare.

Today one has a difficult time getting around this area for at least a 10 mile radius due to ALL the roads being resurfaced, widened, played with for whatever reason and a new over pass installed on a small short connector road that has little to nothing on it -- all at the same time.

Of course there is little reason to traverse this area as there are few businesses left to generate traffic and has been placed in the Appalachian Regional Commission's "capable" hands.

[Hot Tabasco]

drive into Detroit and was shocked to see many roads in the city were not paved. Interesting.

I'm not aware of any streets in Detoit that aren't paved , you sure you didn't end up driving along some alleys? They're easily recognized because they're usually one lane overgrown with weeds and trees and only go in the direction you are driving...........

[valkyry1]

Especially those roads they use the ‘big gravel’ on.

[Blue Collar Christian]

We see this bicycle favoring work in Flagstaff, AZ, and I wonder what taxes the bicyclists pay to support such a program.

[Abathar]

A man of my own heart, I turned 45 on the ninth and still have as much fun with my kids toys as they do, especially the new NERF guns. We had an epic neighborhood war just a few days ago at my house, orange darts littered the yards by the hundreds, if not thousands. :)

[VRW Conspirator]

Letting the roads go is a visible and undeniable indicator of obama's intention to preside over America's decline.

This is done by design. Govmint administrators will cut budgets of items and services which are quite visible to you and me - roads, parks, etc. This is a cynical/devious ploy to justify raising taxes, rates and fees. An Obama voter will whine that the local park is overgrown. The politicians will sigh and say that the have to increase the sales tax in order to maintain the park. Tah-Dah.

[rockinqsranch]

Agree 100%. Thanks for your post. Now I don’t feel compelled to repeat what it is you said.

[Chode]

yup... and the roads round here that aren't completely oiled/tarred are at least done for a stretch in front of houses and barns

[T. P. Pole]

You know, Willie, sometimes I just can't figure you out. This comment is hilarious. Just the type of thing somebody mocking you would say. Either you have an incredible sense of self-humor or are totally insane. I will place you in the "tweaking everybody" category for now.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Evidence or GTFO"

What? You're not aware that for years the "ass transit" types have been raiding the highway trust funds to build various "ass transit" boondoggles??

I actually don't have much problem with mass transit based on bus systems, as that has a common infrastructure with the automobile, but I "do" object to taking the highway funds to build "light rail" and similar projects.

[Chode]

yup, nothing more fun than throttle steering on a dirt road...

[mia]

Well, there were some areas along Grand River Blvd. that appeared to be unpaved. There were paved roads leading into the urban communities from Grand River but as you went deeper into the neighborhoods there was no pavement. Now, it is possible that they were undergoing some kind of renewal but they definitely, were not paved when I saw them.

[Thermalseeker]

Same thing heading out of Kentucky, Alabama or Arkansas into Tennessee. Tennessee does a pretty good job keeping their roads up. The other three not so much. The WK Parkway in KY is terrible....

[Thermalseeker]

Just shootings, not necessarily murders. There was one they were talking about on the radio yesterday where a few black males approached some guy asking for change for a $20. He took out his wallet, they held him up and shot him in the leg. I’ve been hearing a bunch of stories like that lately. Seems like the home invasions are making a come back, too. Funny how that stuff just doesn’t happen over here in Sequatchie County. I wonder if it’s because the ‘perps know virtually everyone over here is armed to the teeth?

[Thermalseeker]

I-40 is all concrete for the most part east of OKC except where they’ve replaced it with asphalt. Lots of “clackity, clackity, clackity” with a bump every mile or so that bounces you off the ceiling (at 60 mph). There’s a fairly long stretch east of OKC that is and has been single lane on both sides for years, too. Same thing in OKC proper on I-40. All concrete and rough as a cob. We go through there at least twice a year on our snow ski trips and have for over 20 years. I dread it every year, but if you’re going from Chattanooga to SW Colorado it’s the shortest route....gives me an appreciation for what it must have been like to do that trip in a covered wagon.....

[stevio]

I did not know that before. Thanks.

[BfloGuy]

A handful, like Citi and Google are hiring desperately and buying anything they can in an effort to break the strike.

Oh, baloney. If Citi and Google are hiring, then they see a chance to make profits in the future. The others don't. It's not any more complicated than that.

We are living through "Atlas Shrugged". It's uncanny, really.