Pullman-Moscow Highway Delay Thoughts Essay

["Charles Koehler" <koehler@moscow.com>]

First, the highway repairs are going great as far as I can tell.  Thanks to
all those that made it happen.  Those of us who have been driving it for
many years appreciate every aspect.

Second, if I've been missing some crucial information somewhere, please let
me know and I'll tell everyone I know who doesn't have that information
either.

Most of the time during the construction I have chosen to take the Airport
Road and O'Donnel Road coming into Moscow by KRPL and have not been impacted
significantly by the construction.  Mind you, I have also tried to slow down
by the homes out there to reduce the dust to them.

Most of the times I have taken the highway whatever wait there was, I was
prepared for, so it had negligible impact on my plans.  The last week or so,
there has not been much of a wait at all.

So today was a shocker!!!

Unfortunately, after a 45 minute wait today I think our communities should
have been able to come up with some consideration measures by now, and we
have winter coming too.

1.  I'm fortunate enough to have a cell phone.  However, Inland Cellular
does not have 100% coverage from Avista to Moscow.
    a) I don't know how long we're going to be stopped in any one spot, do I
pull onto the shoulder and walk to where I have sufficient signal?  A real
emergency, I might.

2.  Why when I scan all the radio stations available during that time, can I
get no local information as to what in the world is going on!!!!  Is it
really the construction?  How long, if I've got some commitments, should I
turn around and go another way?  Will whichever other way I try to take, be
better?  KRPL at 7am has the best in local news that I can tell, but is
really only a recap of the Daily News from the night before. sigh.........

Some thoughts for consideration:
1.  The construction crew for some reason, that I don't need to know, was
continuing to work past 5pm today and cause significant delay (I get off at
4:30 usually).  Did they know how much of a delay they were causing?

2.  Our wonderful local radio stations with all their local service/civic
contributions, obviously didn't haven't a clue, or else just didn't care
about us, their neighbors.  I scanned AM and FM for most of that time, and
only near the end did I hear some call into the COLFAX station, that they
had been waiting for almost an hour on the Pullman-Moscow highway!!!

3.  Many people stuck on that highway had commitments to others, not just
themselves -- daycare for children, doctor's appointments, classes, tests,
meetings, spouses, children, chauffeur duty, errands, etc. and consequently
how many others were worried and caused undue stress because NO ONE KNEW
that there was a 45 MINUTE  wait on the highway, at the least.  Not just a
5-10 minute delay between point A and point B,  but ALMOST AN HOUR!!!

4.  It might have helped if the construction crew had some people keeping
track of how far traffic was backed up and for how long.  I know that might
have needed more warm bodies, but if they had calculated that in their bid
to begin with, it could have reduced this problem, and some of the other
delays during the project.

5.  Couldn't the radio stations have been fed information through out the
day of the traffic flow?  They can't necessarily do it for free, I
understand, but businesses that close at 5:30 and 6pm could benefit from
having potential customers get there on time and the rest of us would get to
hear who's sponsoring the information frequently and remember them fondly.

6.  Can the Chambers of Commerce of the 2 cities work something out for all
of us?  I can't think of any other agency that could pull such a diverse
group together for the good of so many of us.

7.  Lots of people running late on the highway, then getting into town in a
panic should have made life interesting for the police and everyone else.

Knowing what was going on, how long, and the alternatives would have been
very, very nice.

P.S.  1070 AM out of Los Angeles with their SIG alerts and 10 minute traffic
reports is looking real good and very impressive.   We don't have that kind
of traffic or their tools, but to know that all is well, or where the
traffic is bottle necked and where it isn't sure could be nice for ALL of
us.   Remember the waits on the highway last year for who knows what
reasons, and sometimes we could find out why in the newspaper or most of the
time by word of mouth.