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Fri. March 23, 2007, 06:53am PDT
Tacoma Photo Gang - Down on the Waterfront
The Tacoma Photo Gang is at it again this Saturday morning. This time we'll be on and around the Ruston Way waterfront taking pics of whatever we can. Anyone's welcome to join in -- there's not "club" fee or gang initiation. We're just a bunch of people with cameras that love using them in and around our beautiful and gritty Tacoma.
More info in the FeedTacoma Calendar
We'll be out there rain or shine. Any takers?
Fri. March 23, 2007, 10:32am PDT
Narrows Bridge part stuck at ID/WA border
SayWA (to steal a surprised expression from Erik Emery)? A wee, not-so-wee, but friggin' huge piece of the new Tacoma Narrows bridge is being held up at the Idaho-Washington border. The truck carrying this expansion joint is mighty impressive (maybe even stand-on-an-overpass-and-wave impressive) with its 84 wheels, half a football field length, and 330,000 pound weigh-in. Supposedly the weight per axle is too great for our potholed precious Washington roads. My favorite quote from the article in today's News Tribune comes from the owner of the Texas-based trucking company moving this huge piece:
"What I've told them is, 'We'll do this anyway we can.' If it's impossible, then it's real easy: Y'all can build the bridge in Idaho."
3/23 - A heavy headache for bridge, TNT
3/20 - Bridge delayed because of weight concern, TNT
An Aside...
Holding up the piece could, by some conspiracy theorists' thinking out there, be an interesting tactic to add cash to the state's coffers. Since the construction company building the bridge is fined for every day they're behind schedule, this is an easy way to keep pushing it back. How's this for an idea: make an exception. Weigh (so to speak) the importance of completion of the massive and expensive Narrows Bridge project against the possible damage to any asphalt between here and the ID-WA border. My guess is the bridge wins. Or compare the annual damage done by paranoid drivers with studded tires with what this truck might do. Sorry, that's a whole different rant entirely. ;)
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