PennSPOT Laundry and minor snow removal will reopen today. Yesterday, I offended some readers by suggesting that Lanta could have done better. While Lanta never got out of the gate, Septa in Philadelphia provided bus service on all routes till 1:00pm, and on major ones till 5:00pm. Rendell, fearing a PennDOT repeat of Valentine Day 2007, closed down our InterState highway system. Our neighboring states, experiencing the same storm, keep their highways open. According to a PennDOT driver in 2009, the crews are up to the challenge, it's the bureaucracy that isn't. I realize the criticizing is easy from behind the comfort of my desk, but should not Lanta and PennDot be trying harder? PennDOT, especially, should be measured on how they do in the most difficult of times.
UPDATE: as of 6:00am. today (Thur. Feb. 11) Route 78 is still closed. PennDOT and Rendell fail in 2007,2009 and now again.
UPDATE: as of 11:00am. Route 78 still closed
MM -
ReplyDeleteI too saw video footage of SEPTA buses running in Philly, but even the newscaster remarked that (other than the drivers) the buses were empty.
I'm no fan of LANTA, but let's be fair. With most of the area shut down, just who were the buses supposed to transport?
And given the road conditions, how long before a bus (with no riders) would get stuck in the snow? I live in Allentown and (as of Thurs 7:00 am) we have yet to see a plow in our area.
It would seem that PennDot and Rendell are not the only ones failing us.
there was an accident reported on I78 that crippled traffic. the hamburg exit was impassible. tractor trailers, the same vehicles that caused the 2007 fiasco, were stuck going up hills. 78, yesterday, was shaping up to be a repeat of 2007.
ReplyDeletethe interstates were constructed for national defense and emergency management purposes. keeping other vehicles off of those roads is in keeping with that purpose.
"the interstates were constructed for national defense and emergency management purposes. keeping other vehicles off of those roads is in keeping with that purpose."
ReplyDeleteanon 8:13, your statement above is true, i believe eisenhower recommended the interstate system, but to say keeping vehicles off now is absurd. since the same thing happen in 2007, and again in 2009 (read the penndot driver link) one who expect that section of the highway to get more and special attention.
It is interesting to note Pennsylvania's neighboring states did not close their highways.
ReplyDelete- Former resident of the state of Minnesota
I bet LANTA's Global Positioning Satellite technology really came in handy yesterday.
ReplyDeleteHow much did that stuff cost again?
How many tire chains would that buy?
As executive vice president in charge of counter-inclement weather operations, it is my job to supervise snow removal at work.
ReplyDeleteWith no actual employees in my charge to order about, around here it is also incumbent upon the executive vice president of CIWO to do the actual snow removal, as well.
Shoveling snow is rather tedious and boring.
Therefore, it was hard to NOT notice that ALL the city trucks passing by had tire chains on them today.
In contrast, NONE of the passing LANTA buses had tire chains.
As a former resident of the state of MinneSNOWta - I found that fact to be rather curious.
Cynicism is beautiful. Anyone can love idly, hate requires skill. The ability to hate because you can is the ultimate symbol of freedom, whether rightly balance or constrained sensibly. MM you are the number one cynic of the valley and we love you for it.
ReplyDeleteanon 6:21, i doubt that you love me for any reason. yes i'm critical because penndot failed to keep open the same section of 78, near lenhartsville, for the last three major storms; 2007, 2009 and now 2010. in 2007 an inquiry revealed that they started to late. in 2009 the same thing. yesterday motorists were again stranded. it took them over 24 hours to reopen the road.
ReplyDeleteI hear you were a horse's ass even as a child in the 1950s.
ReplyDeletecomment anon 9:09 is from the "talented couple" who believe they contribute to the community. i receive a similar comment from them on every post i write.
ReplyDelete