I drove to Nacogdoches on Saturday to see the fam. I always enjoy the drive between Monroe and Nac...okay, actually, the drive from Monroe to Shreveport is nothing to write home about: it's just straight interstate, which is good for expedience, but the smaller highways are more scenic. Of course, Louisiana has its charms, and I certainly don't claim that the whole of Texas is pretty, but the Nacogdoches area is very nice. The roads in Texas are, in general, much nicer than those in Louisiana. However, I've noticed 3 particualr places on highway 59 (in Texas) where they have been doing road construction for at least 2 years. I've never seen anyone working in those spots, but they always have the road blocked off and I always have to slow down and I'm sure they would increase the fine if I were to get a speeding ticket. I've come to the conclusion that they are not actually working on the road, but they don't have anywhere else to store those orange barrels so they just leave them there thinking no one will notice what's really going on...but I'm on to their shenanigans: they're going to have to come up with a new orange barrel storage system now.
Posted by christin at June 23, 2003 11:44 AM | TrackBackMemo to Texas Highway Department: Change orange barrel storage system on Texas state highways.
Reason: A Louisana taxpayer is onto us.
Posted by: SonofThunder at June 23, 2003 01:53 PMHey, I've paid many taxes in Texas, too.
Posted by: Christin at June 23, 2003 03:39 PMCorrected reason: A Louisiana taxpayer, formerly an Idaho taxpayer and before that a Texas taxpayer is onto us...OH NO! She's going to threaten our orange barrel sovereignty! Hide the orange barrels!
Posted by: SonofThunder at June 23, 2003 04:01 PMive driven through many states, including the drive from austin to chattanooga many times on I-20 and you are right. the roads in texas are much nicer, but i would also add that the roads in La. (at least on I-10 and 20) are the worst interstate highways i have ever traveled on anywhere. maybe texas could loan their barrel surplus to louisiana so they can actually fix their highways.
on another note, is new st. andrew's doug wilson's college?
This is what I've heard about the poor condition of LA and MS's highways: The Dept. of Transportation has grown into this huge monster that has massive funding for repairs and upkeep of the highways. If they actually FIX the roads, then there isn't a need for as much money, and their funding for the next year gets slashed. So, they do a pitiful job to ensure they can continue doing a pitiful job the next year.
-sigh-
I-20 in La. is definitely one of the worst roads I've been on (and I have been on lots of interstates and highways). Every couple of weeks I start thinking something is wrong with my car, then I remember it's not my car, it's just that I'm driving on I-20.
And yes, DP, New St. Andrews is also known as Doug Wilson's College.
Posted by: Christin at June 24, 2003 08:15 AMAnd just the other day I saw these roadworkers in Monroe slicing big gashes on roads throughout the city. And we wonder why our streets are bad.
Posted by: Robbie at June 24, 2003 10:43 AMI made the drive from Nacogdoches back to LA as well. I must agree with you Christin, the roads in TX are better. But honestly I think that LA is having a bigger problem with barrel storage. Check out I-20 between Ruston and Calhoun!
Also, I saw one guy working the construction site(s) in TX. That's something, right?
There are more barrels in La right now, but they have only been there for a month or so. The point of the story was that those barrels have been in the same place in Texas for over a year with very little change in the condition of the road.
Posted by: Christin at June 24, 2003 02:03 PM