Dear Crabby, Will All This Construction Ever End?

Dear Crabby,

I know we Michiganders have complained about construction in the past, but seriously. So far it seems like this is the worst it has been in years. Am I right? It feels like it will never end. Please tell me I’m wrong.

Thanks!
Patience Paver

Dear Patience Paver,

I hate to be the bearer of bad news… who am I kidding – I love it! The construction will eventually end, but until that time driving around is going to feel like getting a tooth pulled without the aid of Novocain.

Back in 2016, I was asked if I-75 was ever going to be finished in our lifetime. To refresh everyone’s memory, this whole widening and reconstruction project has been in the planning and development stages for nearly 20 years. That’s right. You heard me. Then at the end of last year, I was asked for my 2019 predictions and I quote, “…most of Michigan’s expressways will still be under construction with no end in sight.” Because now in addition to I-75 there’s work also happening on M-59, not to mention I-696 and I-94 and probably others I’m forgetting since I don’t drive on them. Starting this Saturday there will be various ramp closures at the following: Southbound I-75 ramp to eastbound M-59 and Westbound M-59 ramp to southbound I-75. Then once again in the wee hours of Sunday morning, the construction fairies will swoop down with their orange barrels and close Northbound I-75 ramp to westbound M-59 and the Eastbound M-59 ramp to northbound I-75. Did I mention it will stay like this until October? OK. You can just take an alternative route. You could. If all of those roads weren’t being worked on as well.

Dear Crabby sits infront of his laptop

Dear Crabby Gives Advice

Head down Opdyke. Oops. Construction. Well, maybe Lapeer Road. Nope. More construction. Walton Boulevard, Baldwin Road, the list just goes on and on. Honestly, at this point, a person needs a graph of some sort to keep it all straight. And I do feel a bit for the folks doing these projects because I’m sure they’re getting yelled at from every direction. What’s funny is angry commuters will take to social media to complain to the Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) only to have the RCOC inform them the project falls under the Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) jurisdiction. Fellas, trust me when I say there’s plenty of blame to go around. Another thing to remember is that with all this lovely construction comes lower speed limits and guess what? The police have taken to posing as construction workers to catch those with a lead foot. I tell ya. You can’t win for losing.

Right about now I’m thinking this is where a subway system of some kind would come in handy. Or how about those flying cars Back to the Future Part II seemed to think would exist in 2015? Yes. I know all this construction is needed and that it will look (and feel) great once it’s all done. Sure, I’ll pack my patience. It will be good practice for when winter rolls around again. Better yet, I think I’ll just stay home and let people come to see me. Plus, nowadays you can have just about anything delivered to your front door.

So, if you’re not retired like me and have to get to work, my only advice is: Jesus, take the wheel!

Dear Crabby

About Dear Crabby

Stuck in a rut? Need some biased advice from a crabby old baby-boomer? Read regularly by thousands and loved by some, Dear Crabby answers questions weekly to life's challenges. Send him a note at editor@rochestermedia.com.

Comments

  1. John Sanderson says

    So much of the construction is exaggerated by excessively long orange cone lines, a half mile or more before anywhere near work being done. I’d like to have the cone concession! never mind that all of these “repairs” are nothing more than a 2″ cap that will all deteriorate about the same time, causing all of this congestion again, in 2 – 5 years. But it looks like MDOT and the RCOC are working hard to fix the darn roads, doesn’t it?

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