14 May 2015

Barricade Maintenance Still Slovenly in Carthage

With water and gas line replacement continuing in Carthage, another evening was taken to evaluate the status of barrier lights in the area. The barriers are maintained by River City Barricade, as a contractor for the Metropolitan Utilities District. The following is the status at dusk on May 11th, after one review and then a look again by going back along the same route.

1011 North 49th Street
2 of 2 along the sidewalk not working
1012 North 49th Street
1 of 1 not working
49th and Nicholas streets intersection
2 of 2 okay
1101 North 49th Street
1 of 1 along sidewalk not working
1103 North 49th Street
2 of 2 along sidewalk not working
1104 North 49th Street
1 of 1 along sidewalk not working
1106 North 49th Street
1 of 1 working properly
1108 North 49th Street
1 of 1 not working
1110 North 49th Street
1 of 1 working
There was no sediment barrier properly placed adjacent to the pile of dirt at the east side of the intersection of 49th and Caldwell streets

Most of the barricades now along North 49th Street are associated with holes and areas of removed sidewalk.

4844 Hamilton Street parking lot
2 of 2 not working
4901 Hamilton Street parking lot
1 of 2 not working
4902 Hamilton Street parking lot
3 of 3 not working
4906 Hamilton Street
1 of 1 not working
49th Avenue and Hamilton streets
1 of 4 working with one fallen over and laying in the street
1310 North 49th Avenue
1 of one not working
1308 North 49th Avenue
1 of 1 okay
1304 North 49th Avenue
1 of 2 working properly
49th Avenue and Caldwell streets at west side of intersection
7 of the 9 lights on the smaller barricades were blinking, while only one of three on the larger barricades blinked during the visit
1120 North 49th Avenue
2 of 2 lights blinking in the dusk light
1114 North 49th Avenue
1 of 2 working
1106 North 49th Avenue
light on one barricade blinking
1102 North 49th Avenue
3 of 4 lights blinking

It is obvious that the primary contractor and secondary contractor are not giving sufficient attention to the status of the barricade lights, despite email comments that this would be done. Some lights blink brightly while a few others have a tepid extent of light, though they still weakly blink. The result is a slovenly condition unacceptable for the neighbor residents.

There were slightly more not working than were working properly. More were working along 49th Avenue than 49th Street, likely because they were placed here more recently. Fewer were working at sidewalks associated with a residence, than those within the street.

The following are some visual indications from the work underway at Carthage during May.


These images are from May 5th

Barrier along North 49th Street.

These images are from May 11th.

This broken barricade at 49th and Hamilton streets is really useful for the purposes for which it was intended!


Utility work site at the intersection of 49th and Caldwell streets.

This is a video of the work site at the 49th and Caldwell streets intersection.