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Citizen complant of the day: Ankle-deep pothole in Jamaica Plain
By adamg on Fri, 09/10/2021 - 9:13pm
A disgruntled citizen files a 311 report about a pothole on Spring Park Avenue in Jamaica Plain that she says is ankle deep, which she proves by standing in it up to her ankle.
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Comments
Stick a cone on top of it.
Stick a cone on top of it.
Heeeeelllllooo City Councilors!
UHub has been around long enough, maybe some of them are paying attention....
I had one of these human-eating potholes right outside my building in Brighton some years ago. Remembered that Mark Ciommo had called me, *personally* (not a recording) while running for office, so called his office. It was actually filled rather quickly. Voted for him a few times more.
Looked at the ballot this year and didn't recognize a single name. Some fliers have come in since I returned the ballot, but too little too late. (And yes, I did some attempt at internet research. Unfortunately a lot of them never replied to those organizations that attempt to allow voters to compare candidates apparently.)
The street parallel to mine (which I have to drive over both coming and going from home...Brighton, land of streets all one way the wrong way...) roughly resembles a Martian landscape. Once this election is over I will be calling who ever wins to request that this be fixed. Will remember next election cycle if it is or isn't. Yes, I care about schools, and affordable house, and over building (have I mentioned, I'm in Brighton?), but if I can't get out of my neighborhood without blowing a tire...
Lecil
Your wish has been granted... tomorrow, Saturday, the spotted pony will arrive and take you to the real Brighton (have I mentioned, I’m in Brighton?)?
They’re too busy
Flapping their gums about social justice nonsense to actually do their jobs, less Frank Baker.
Did you vote against indexing
Did you vote against indexing the gas tax to inflation? Because if so, well, you get what you pay for.
I did not
Got anything else ‘clever’ to add to the conversation?
Adam
There’s nothing in the report that suggests they are “complanting” or complaining or disgruntled — they’re reporting an issue. There’s no attitude in their report. Not every 311 is an opportunity for your bad puns.
This is Adams blog
If you don't like the way he reports stories move along or at the very least don't mention it.
Didn't realize Universal Hub
Didn't realize Universal Hub was unionized.
Yes, 311 is a useful tool ...
For reporting potholes and the like.
So why, out of hundreds of reports about potholes did I choose to highlight this one?
Take a look at the photo: A woman didn't just choose to file a report about a pothole, she decided to make her point by putting her foot in it. That's different from your average report, and I thought it was worthy of note.
They also seem pick up dead
They also seem pick up dead animals remarkably quick.
Plant a maple tree in it
if the city doesn't take action.
https://whdh.com/news/man-fed-up-with-potholes-plants-banana-tree-in-road/
Norway Maples
No need to plant those - one is probably already germinating in the hole as we discuss it.
#FloridaMan Plants Tree in Road
I know it's outside UHub's orbit, but I want to know more about the banana tree.
Magoo sez
Magoo ‘spects that there hole is a Bigfoot feet print. That or Magoo was sleepwalking again and Magoo doesn’t ‘member. Magoo.
Keep potholes around. The
Keep potholes around. The rest of us will be safer.
Um...
Those of us who aren't potholes?
Ma’am
That pothole was designed for your car’s tire to hit, not your ankle. ;p
Insane
Welcome to Boston where we let feeney bros. did up the streets then half ass patch them
Truly!
Every 10 years or so the city will finally pay to (more or less) fix the streets. The week after repairs are made, Feeney Bros will start digging new holes...
It goes deeper than that
What we have here is a failure to communicate.
What the city should be doing (and maybe it is?) is coordinating curb-to-curb street repaving with the utility companies so they can do whatever repairs they need to do before the street gets torn up and repaved, rather than waiting until, oh, two weeks later when they hire Feeney Bros to tear up a newly repaved street.
That wouldn't eliminate the problem entirely - we're an old city, with old pipes and conduits and sometimes they need emergency work (like that stretch of Hyde Park Avenue in JP where the gas main has been undergoing emergency work for, what, two years in a row now?).
I believe Somerville was looking at enforcing that
I think the idea is specifically to warn the natural gas company of upcoming roadwork, and if they don't take that opportunity to do repairs and then need to do it within X years, they get fined.
Adam
I appreciate you. May I present some info, please.
It doesn't work the way you and I would expect it to, but they look like they're trying to coordinate street digging vs repaving vs development scheduling:
First search: Resurfacing in Boston (https://www.boston.gov/departments/public-works/roadway-resurfacing-boston)
(FYI this is the "new" website, which I personally hate)
Going a step deeper, a resurfacing schedule (https://www.cityofboston.gov/publicworks/sweeping/Resurfacing.aspx)
(FYI this is the 'old' website which, to me, was more user friendly)
A lot of the streets are TBD. And some are listed in 2021. For those, it doesn't say which quarter of 2021 and we don't know how COVID has affected the schedule.
This (https://www.cityofboston.gov/publicworks/sweeping/MaterialforFactSheet.pdf)
"We want to prevent anyone from cutting into your new road or sidewalk for at least five years. Therefore we will deny permits or impose penalties to those who want to cut or alter your street after completion. In order for property owners to avoid permit denial or face penalties we ask owners who may have been considering changing their utility service do the following:"
And while I appreciate the effort, it certainly feels like they do not deny permits or impose penalties. GCs (General Contractors), in my opinion, do a crap job of resurfacing the trenches they have dug to do their utility work. I know they have to come back after the first layer of asphalt, but the 2nd layer, meant to be level with the adjacent asphalt, leaves a lot to be desired. Especially on the overly-trafficked streets.