Our local thoroughfare - 19th Avenue - is getting some much needed surface repair work. In order to do this, the authorities must interrupt traffic for a solid year. The locals aren’t happy because an already congested road will only get even more so. But what’s the alternative? If the road never gets repaved, then drivers are going to be gripe about the horrendous condition.
Is it ideal? Of course not, but the job has to be done. Roads need repaving, the Golden Gate Bridge needs repainting. We all have to endure some civic pain in order to have nicer things.
Albeit I am writing from my high horse of never needing to commute on said road that will be severely interrupted. My tune will surely be different if I’d the misfortune of taking 19th Avenue to work. Perhaps they should have put the repaving project up to a vote! Just like how they put the fate of the Great Highway to the people.
And look how that turned out! San Francisco voters elected to permanently close the Great Highway off to motor vehicles. However, a majority of residents in the district directly adjacent to the road did not want this, because they use the Great Highway to commute. Closed road, more congestion elsewhere. It’s simply math. Sunset district residents were so incensed that they recalled their representative supervisor.
Resurfacing 19th Avenue - also in Sunset district - seems to be pouring salt onto the wounds. One thoroughfare is closed forever, and the other will be choked up for a whole year. To quote the great Xzibit: “Yo dawg, I heard you like traffic…”
This is what it feels like.