#ron troxell

[lookcaitlin]

[marcellusbitsandpieces]

Bits and Pieces   The new and improved Lawrence Road  8/18/19

“Come away with me, Lucille In my merry Oldsmobile                  Down the road of life we fly Automo-bubbling, you and I”

Do you want to take a little road trip not far from home on a new road in Cass County? Well, I have just the place for you – Lawrence Road between Marcellus Highway and Dutch Settlement Street.

If you recall – just a year ago last August, the Cass County Road Commission decided to build a new style road in the Lawrence Road segment between Marcellus Highway and Dutch Settlement. The commissioners in their infinite wisdom had thought to return that segment of PRIMARY road to dirt/gravel.

Thanks to Ron Troxell, that plan was re-evaluated and dropped.

The then head of the road commission had a more “brilliant” idea of doing something new and more “lasting”(?) by grinding up the old asphalt and tarring with layers of gravel/rock pressed into it.

This process was new to this area of Cass County, so help from the western area of the county was solicited. I guess that the advice which the Cass County Road Commission received wasn’t worth the investment, because the road certainly wasn’t. This past spring a heavily loaded feed truck on a very warm day, took this new road to its very bed.

With much deliberation and maybe even great personal sacrifice, the road commissioners after months of indecision finally decided to do what should have done a year ago to this PRIMARY county road. Spend the money and have it paved!

The first step was to grind the original mess and lay it as a bed. Then, beginning Tuesday, August 12, a layer of asphalt was laid, one lane and half segments at a time.

By Friday August 16, the entire stretch from Marcellus Highway to Dutch Settlement for both lanes was completed with the first layer of asphalt.

The week of August 19th will be spent giving this segment it’s second layer and completing the project.

It is often said that the wheels of government grind slowly. However, it is ethical and commendable that the status of PRIMARY road for Lawrence Road has not been compromised, even if it has taken years for the right solution.

Interestingly enough I learned that Cass County has its own asphalt plant from raised taxes years ago. When that tax hike was passed it was on the premise that every road in the county would be paved. Hummmm, I wonder what got in the way of that promise.

[climatemayors]

305 US Climate Mayors commit to adopt, honor and uphold Paris Climate Agreement goals

STATEMENT FROM THE CLIMATE MAYORS IN RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT TRUMP’S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT

The President’s denial of global warming is getting a cold reception from America’s cities.

As 305 US Mayors representing 61 million Americans, we will adopt, honor, and uphold the commitments to the goals enshrined in the Paris Agreement. We will intensify efforts to meet each of our cities’ current climate goals, push for new action to meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius target, and work together to create a 21st century clean energy economy.

We will continue to lead. We are increasing investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. We will buy and create more demand for electric cars and trucks. We will increase our efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions, create a clean energy economy, and stand for environmental justice. And if the President wants to break the promises made to our allies enshrined in the historic Paris Agreement, we’ll build and strengthen relationships around the world to protect the planet from devastating climate risks.

The world cannot wait — and neither will we.

Signed,

Mayor Eric Garcetti City of Los Angeles, CA

Mayor Martin J Walsh City of Boston, MA

Mayor Bill de Blasio New York City, NY

Mayor Sylvester Turner City of Houston, TX

Mayor Madeline Rogero City of Knoxville, TN

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Updated signatories as of 10:30am PT on June 15, 2017

[lookcaitlin]

[marcellusbitsandpieces]

Bits and Pieces     The NEW Lawrence Road    9/9/18

The month of August was a-whir with Cass County Road Commission excitement on Lawrence Road between Dutch Settlement and Marcellus Highway. The pothole studded Lawrence Road had been slated for demotion to a dirt road. However, with hard work, many hours of debate and persistence Ron Troxell was able to spare its demise.

Although Lawrence Road was not to be re-asphalted, it will now have an almost asphalt bed and look. For that we are very appreciative, Ron.

Earlier in the summer Curt and Dusty were contacted by the director of the Road Commission about storing gravel at Rolling Hills. Having the gravel directly delivered here would save the cost of transferring of the gravel from Cassopolis later by the truck-fulls to Lawrence Road during the resurfacing.

When the project was about to begin, semi-loads of gravel and an array of equipment started to appear across the road from the house.

To prepare the bed of the new road, a machine that would suck up the old asphalt, chew it up, spit it out and re-lay it on the old roadbed began at Dutch Settlement and worked north to Marcellus Highway. Then a big blade would smooth it out and grade the road. This was followed with a double roller to roll it smooth and get ready for the next steps.

This last process of grading the road took forever. It was repeated and repeated and repeated. Surveyors went out to work on the grading and even more blading and rolling was done.

The only good news was that once the pothole laden road was first swallowed, chewed, spit out and bladed – it was already better than what we had been putting up with for years (as I told a group of inspectors standing around looking at the soon-to-be masterpiece).

After it was discussed by many around here that the money spent on man hours, equipment hours, fuel, materials, etc. could have paid for a re-asphalt job, the crew was finally able to begin the finishing stages of work.

A layer of oil was set followed by a layer of large gravel. Then a layer of smaller gravel – all compacted by heavy rolling equipment for a firm foundation. This gravel packed base will “rest” for a few weeks.

At the determined time, another round of oil and gravel will be applied to this beautiful white road-top. At that point Lawrence Road will resemble the new surface in downtown Marcellus.

I was very concerned about maintaining the new road when potholes eventually will return. However, I think the old method of shovel-filling the hole with asphalt and letting cars pack it down will most likely be their “plan.”

The downtown roadway appears strong enough to handle the snow removal. The thought of rock thrown into the fields or yards may be solved with the last part of the process.

It is such a pleasure to drive out the driveway now. I can actually stay in my proper lane of traffic without putting my life in danger by dodging potholes and worrying about a head-on collision. Thanks again, Ron.

[marcellusbitsandpieces]

Bits and Pieces   Ye Ole Swimming Hole    4/29/18

I guess I start this week with a sincere “Thank You” to Ron Troxell for all his efforts to save Lawrence Road from becoming a major county road turned to dirt and gravel. Though it won’t be asphalt repaved, it will be a somewhat paved road due to his perseverance. Thank you, Ron.

For those who travel Lawrence Road, you may have noticed trucks and heavy machinery stripping both shoulders from McKenzie Street south to across the tracks, then north to Marcellus Highway as well as on Dutch Settlement from Lawrence Road to Wakelee Church and back. What in the world are they doing with all that surface dirt? Where are they hauling it?

Well, it all began about 15-18 years ago. I was missing going to my parents’ home in Arizona and swimming in their pool. It was great exercise, and about the only kind I enjoy. So Curt thought that rather than have a pool installed, he would create one for me.

Maybe you have driven by it? It is…er…was… still in progress until last week. To the west of the house is a deep gorge that has some water in the bottom. That is the “dream” pool.

I think it was started with the premise…excavate and water will come. But, alas, that wasn’t to be.

So, when Curt and Dusty were approached by the county of some place to put this excess dirt from Lawrence Road, Dusty had the solution.

The dump trucks have a convoy system. They are loaded along the road with the dirt from the shoulder scrapings. They then drive to the pond and unload.

After several dumped loads, Dusty or Brian hop into the bulldozer and push the piles closer to the ever stretching edge.

By the end of the week, it looked like a dirt glacier creeping ever closer to total enclosure.

The work supervisor wasn’t sure there was a space big enough for all the roadside dirt…until he saw Ye Ole Swimming Hole.

[70sscifiart]

Ron Troxell, 1992

[twelvebooksstuff]

I love that medieval computer Monday is a tag!!