Hello Progress
Finally the warm weather week is here. Silent sign sentinels are now popping up at the various intersections in Presque Isle as the city gears up for one of the major projects of the year. Main Street is about to get a facelift.
This two-year, two-phase project began last year with the replacement of sewer and water pipes. Now the project engineers will attempt to remove wrinkles.
The entire span of downtown’s artery is going to be altered in an attempt to show a more youthful facade to prospective businesses while keeping the current ones happy. Those of us who have driven on the street can speak volumes about the corrugation effect that now shapes the asphalt.
The engineers are reassuring everyone that they will do their best to mitigate the delays and chaos such a project brings. Unlike the television quacks on the local station, these engineers can guarantee that they will smooth and remove all the wrinkles from the face.
What should the regular drivers and visitors expect? Any road project is bound to make noise! Best to get some ear plugs if you live in downtown. As a beginning the current surface is going to be ground up, heaved onto a conveyor belt and dumped into various dump trucks. Those trucks will cart the old skin off to some site for disposal and return to repeat the procedure. The entire width of the street is to be removed so this means that there will be many such trips. Dump trucks are big, They have big engines and those big engines have a lot to say. The quiet of the neighborhood is about to be disturbed.
The machine that will be doing this work is known commonly as a grinder. Think of a pooper scooper on steroids. It will lick and chomp on the surface and out the back end will come a mass of black glop that any self respecting mutt would appreciate. What will be left behind is a grooved pavement that will drive motorcyclists nuts. Best to avoid the street if possible if you are on two wheels.
Then various supervisors, advisors, and know-it-alls will inspect the result. Marking paint will be applied to give instructions for the following crew: Pavers.
Asphalt is one wonderful modern substance that make up the modern world. It is black, smelly, and best avoided in polite company. It will be laid down and compressed by smoothing rollers. When complete the entire street will be smooth. Gone will be the corrugated, pitted surface that is now there. Teenagers yearn for such a cure.
Under the cover of darkness the majority of this work will be done. It will involve lots of light towers to illuminate the scene.
Lights! Smells! Noise! And Chaos! Hello Progress! Next time, some things to do to pass the time while waiting for the flagger to wave you past. In the meantime, enjoy the stillness and smell the roses.
Orpheus Allison of Castle Hill can be reached at orpheusallison@mac.com.
