Government Projects

Bear with me on this... I'm going to lose much of my non-Northwest audience on this, but if you can, think of your own local government mis-spending. This can apply anywhere.

Here is the sitch. Every day I drive across the road on the map above. This road is slated for a $1.5 million project. The river, as you can see on the valley floor, has a tendency to flood. 4-5 times a year we lose the use of the road and have to go through the town of Duvall. Annoying to be sure, but what can you say about natue? Deal.

King County's response, lets raise the road. Great. All for it. However, it seems like this less-than-a-bandaid...i'll let King County explain it.

King County is planning to raise two portions of NE 124th Street in the Snoqualamie River Valley this summer to REDUCE the RISK of the roadway being covered by water during floods.

-and-

On both the east and west sides of Novelty Bridge, NE 124th Street has low sections that are covered by floodwaters several times each year. Raising these sections by 14 inches will keep the road above water EXCEPT when the river is cresting durning a major flood...

-so-

No promises, in fact, we get the guarantee that we will still have flooding and road closures. We are trying to reduce (diminish the extent) the risk (possibility of loss)... You tell me. Look at the pictures and tell me what 14 inches will give us.

Blast.