Seasons Change

One of the things that I do a lot for work is write magazine articles. Here is my latest one...

Seasons Change

There was a time in my life when I dreaded the Spring. When the ice and snow melted away, the grass would grow, the weeds would sprout, and the ragweed would abound. I would immediately begin to feel the repercussions of the beautiful green landscapes that haunted my sinuses.

Each Spring, I would get allergies so badly that I would often lose my voice or even be out of work for days on end. What amazes me to this day is that I would suffer, get medication and then forget about the allergies until the next year, when the whole cycle would repeat itself. I knew something bad was going to happen, yet I never did anything about it!

About three years ago, I changed that. I went to an allergist and (after discovering that I was allergic to the “outside”) I was quickly placed on a strict regimen of allergy shots and medication. Three years later, I am almost symptom-free and I look forward to the changing of the seasons.

Other people dread the changing of seasons in the beginning part of the year for another reason. Potholes and other poor road conditions are exacerbated by the previous winter; they become eye sores –and even death traps – once the snow is removed after its final visit to the area. Driving becomes treacherous in parts of the state; people even die from poor road conditions.

Spring is a time when the road agencies rally to repair the illnesses of their roads with a variety of treatments and make the problem go away – or so they think. The Spring is primarily about putting on the band-aid and ignoring the problem until next year. This is exactly what I did for years with my allergies until I finally wised up and went at the problem itself.

I read numerous industry magazines and publications that discuss quality construction throughout the country. Many of these projects are constructed because of a dire need or some major failure in the system. Money is located and the projects are constructed, as they are special cases. Some publications even identify projects as award winners and recognize them with plaques and certificates.

Perhaps, I dare suggest, the transportation agencies follow the lead of today’s physicians and repair their roads before they get horribly bad? My medical insurance covers primary and preventive care. They know that paying for my allergy shots to prevent the onset of an allergic reaction will, in the long run, cost them less than all of the medications I needed to treat those reactions after the fact.

Repairing our infrastructure is just as important. It requires a commitment to the roads that each agency owns. They need to be taken care of before they get as bad as I did each Spring. It requires a stable funding source; it requires leadership from the highest levels; and it requires commitment and dedication. The industry is ready, willing, and able to provide the state what it needs and now we need the funding.

Getting to the heart of the matter is simple. Let’s not sneeze away this opportunity to go at the pothole problem itself. Let’s dedicate the funds needed to resurface our damaged pavements. Let’s dedicate the funds need to perform the basic of repairs to our bridges.

We only have until next Spring until the pot holes sprout again like weeds on our highways. Oh great…now I have something else to dread this Spring and just when it was becoming my favorite season.