I wrote this on the blog May 14th, 2011-
Highway Construction in Danvers
Posted on May 14, 2011 by Joey C
I’m not sure if it’s Moe, Larry and Curley or Charlie Sheen and his two goddesses who are doing the highway work up in Danvers but I swear I’ve never seen more than three stooges working there at a time.
They’ve been working there forever. I have no idea why thus stuff takes so long. In other parts of the country I visit I swear they put in entire interstate highways in less time than they take around here to do a single overpass.
Is it a union thing? I’m not sure why they don’t bring in an army of workers and equipment and bang out one job at a time quickly rather than have 20 projects going on at once with just a handful of workers at each project and dragging it out for years.
and these were the responses in the comment section-
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Anonymous says:
May 14, 2011 at 9:49 am (Edit)
is this a hysterical comment made by someone who went by once, next time, take your camera and sit there for a while…this is how rumors get started…also, all projects like this a bid in an open and public way, you can research the bid process and trully have an understanding, then you can draw a conclusion not “jump to one”…
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Donna Ardizzoni says:
May 14, 2011 at 11:43 am (Edit)
I agree, notice everytime I am traffic see no workers.. very funny blog
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Jack says:
May 14, 2011 at 1:23 pm (Edit)
Actually…I thought it was going pretty good.
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Jose Smoothtracks says:
May 15, 2011 at 10:59 am (Edit)
Someday, we will tell people about the on ramps on 128 during rush hour, bumper to bumper traffic and how thrilling it was to try and merge. Zero to 60 in 3 seconds.
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Fast forward to today, eight months after that original post in which we talked about how long it was taking for that short section of highway to be complete
Pictures taken Jan 14, 2012-
Go to Texas or Florida and they get this stuff done in months not years. Seriously.
Get ‘er done.
Good Morning Gloucester 
I don’t know the specifics of this job but Texas and Florida don’t have the weather extremes to work in or build for. I expect we’ll all be glad when it’s done.
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plus they work at night! less traffic so that more can be accomplished!
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Not that I have any interest in this project, but they said it would be a two year project when they started. I pick up my grandsons everyday in Danvers and bring them back to Magnolia. Believe me, the boys look every morning to see what is going on and there is plenty of work taking place at Exit 22.
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I’ve gone to Naples and returned one year later with an entire 15 mile road system put in. The pace at which highway projects get done in MA is crazy slow compared to what they get done.
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Up here in Vermont after the hurricane and flood, entire lengths of roads were undermined, washed out and totally gone. The hurricane was in late August I believe and the routes were repaired and opened at Christmas or a little after. Now that is fast work – so we know it can be done.
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today’s Globe said they are below budget and ahead of schedule by 1 yr…they expect to wrap up in June…
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http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/north/2012/01/15/construction-route-danvers-running-year-ahead-schedule/vCglXzHmokNYvSuQjh5riL/story.html
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You want some truly horrible highways? Come to Louisiana! Instead of fixing roads here, they just put up a sign that says “Substandard Roadway” so you know that you travel at your own risk. The common joke here is “How do you get a lane expansion on a highway in Louisiana? Two lanes and a bucket of paint.” And when the temperature falls below freezing, there is no budget whatsoever for sand or salt on any highways here. It’s part of the local culture that you’re simply expected to know better than to try and leave your house to drive on a slick road. Schools are closed, and nearly all business grinds to a halt. Everybody just waits it out until the temperature rises and it’s safe to drive over the bridges. We were amused last year when we came back from our summer in Gloucester (I’m pretty sure I remember that construction in Danvers back then, now that I think of it, LOL). Gigantic new Texas-sized reflective highway signs with European fonts had been erected along the Pineville Expressway which runs past our home. Totally unnecessary; the signs they replaced were just fine. But did they *pave* the highway while they were at it? Nah!! Go figure…
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And along with the slow progress, what is with all the barriers being erected? I thought the state was broke? Is this a valid use of our tax dollars or another pork project…..
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Try getting off Rt. 62 on to 128 at rush hour(s)! NO TRAFFIC CONTROL! YOU TAKE YOUR LIFE INTO YOUR HANDS! NUTS!
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its all about the weather here! we only have so many months that we can work due to state reg’s!
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I do know what everyone is talking about however, I get off 128 on the ramp that leads to 35 (Danvers center) but, go straight across and in the back way to the mall. This avoids a lot of
grief. Doesn’t anyone remember the 2+ years the bridge into Gloucester was being revamped?
We had just moved here and I thought that I would go off my rocker as everytime I came home the traffic was lined up almost back to Essex. Ancient history now LOL~
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I commmute to Haverhill everyday via RT 62…the morning traffic is no problem but getting on to 128 at night is a nightmare and have taken a different route home, usually by Beverly airport. I want to point out another roadway project that took forever for a ridiclious small amount of roadway: remember the Thatcher road culvert by Good Harbor? I cannot believe they stretched that project out for over a year when we common citizens could have dug it out with teaspoons in a few months…what a sham! And as for the rt 62 project..seems like they went gangbusters and now have stopped…no major changes for the last few months. I check it everyday.
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I don’t go by there very often but when I have gone by I don’t see much happening.
It will be nice when it’s done so I guess good things take time. Lots of time!
Remember, that tiny concrete bridge by Stop & Shop took over a year?
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It’s always like that in MA. SLOW!!! When they work at night, it looks like they are not working at all.. Maine gets their roads done quick. I hardly think the weather has anything to do with repair this year. I know someone in Vermont who said the roads were fixed in no time. I also saw on the news how these roads were half & totally gone. Before I knew it I also heard on the news, besides my friend, that they were all fixed. No, it’s MA just taking their time. Even side roads which are not long seem to take forever. Being slow must be their way way of getting job security. Let’s work slow so the job will last longer.!!!
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I’ve lived in Florida and driven through Texas and it takes just as long to finish road project. In fact I 10 is always under construction. Weather, traffic etc make road construction a long process. Be grateful they are taking their time. What good is a road that’s done quick if its not done well
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