Fun on Broadway

Today we drove 3.2 miles on Broadway. It took us 45 minutes to get to from our house to our final destination (we live less than 1/2 mile from Broadway).

At the end of the 3.2 miles, basically where we were trying to get to, the right lane, of only 2 lanes going south bound, was blocked off so a road crew could make big holes in the asphalt.

We passed one abandoned hole and Erik commented, "That's what big steel plates are for." About 75 feet further ahead on Broadway there were 6 large steel plates piled on the side of the road, safely out of the way of any road holes.

Apparently Knoxville is aware of the steel plate trick for covering small street holes, they just prefer to have them in a heap rather than putting those plates to good use.

Perhaps the plate pile is road side art to amuse drivers as they idly sit by waiting for the vehicle in front of them to move forward 28 inches?


Our return trip home, fortunately, did not take nearly as long. The only incident worthy of mention was the fallen tree in the right lane, of only 2 lanes going north bound, that was blocking traffic.

I did my good deed of the day and notified the city of this. I explained that "there was a fallen tree in the right hand lane of North Broadway before mile marker 13." The woman who answered apparently was not aware of the suicidal pine and was very eager to pass the buck to the County. When I explained that it was in the City of Knoxville, not the County, she seemed very disappointed. She asked several clarifying questions, such as:

North or South Broadway?

North.

Which lane?

The right lane.

Where on Broadway?

Before mile marker 13.

Where is that?

Before Halls Cross Roads.

We only go to Foley Drive.

I understand. This is before Foley Drive.

Foley Drive is just past Black Oak Ridge.

Yes, I know, and the fallen tree is before Black Oak Ridge.

There's a Weigle's on the corner of Foley Drive just past Black Oak Ridge.

Yes and the fallen tree is before the Weigle's on the corner of Foley Drive and before Black Oak Ridge.

(Sigh.) O.k. (pause) Thanks.

It will be interesting to see how long it takes for the city to address the self-destructive tree. Perhaps mere hours, more likely days.

As for the road construction I won't bother wondering how long that'll take, I already know - MONTHS! By then it won't matter because I'll be living in CA.