Weight restrictions in place... (Pittsburgh, Liberty: how much, find a job, movies)

[zman63]

This will have an impact on the PA economy....

PennDOT to increase weight restrictions on 1,000 Pennsylvania bridges - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

[SteelCityRising]

May I just ask as to why you consistently post anemic threads that contain little more than links to "doom and gloom" articles? Our economy has improved nationally, and Pittsburgh has consistently outperformed the state and nation during most of the recession and recovery on many fronts. Everyone I know is employed, albeit perhaps not "fully" employed. My partner and I are both underemployed by choice. We pay our bills no problem. We day-trip. We dine out. We see movies. We donate to charity. Do I drive a BMW? No. Do I want to? No.

If you can't find a job in Pittsburgh then you're just not looking diligently enough. I know the Starbucks on South Craig Street is hiring. Our company consistently can't find enough employees to fill our ranks. Are these "family-sustaining career opportunities" from the get-go? No, certainly not. Can they evolve into something more? Most definitely. After just a year-and-a-half working as a food delivery driver on a part-time basis I slid into my current role as manager and earn a comfortable living doing administrative duties, as well as driving. I know some who work at Starbucks who have moved up to shift supervisor and then manager and now also earn comfortable living. If you aren't willing to "settle", zman, for a job that's "beneath" you and then work hard to move up the ladder, then there's not much we can really do to help you. I think it was okaydorothy who secured an accounting-related "temp" job shortly after moving here and had it transition into something permanent and career-oriented not long thereafter. You can either start from the bottom and move on up, as she and I did, or you can remain unemployed trying to start at the top and then whine that our city's economy is worse than it really is.

[Hopes]

I appreciate this thread. While not likely severe, there will be a negative impact on our economy. We already have higher food costs due to higher transportation costs because we're geographically isolated. Now the trucking companies' costs will increase even more because it will be even more difficult to get food delivered within our region. The problems for manufacturing are similar. This is sickening because it could have been prevented by maintaining our bridges properly throughout the decades instead of waiting until they got into such disrepair that we can't afford to fix them.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Meanwhile our government is spending $850 billion on F-35's that will never see any real action while our infrastructure literally crumbles at home. We always have our priorities in the right place in this country.

[SlurmsMcKenzie]

I'm less concerned with weight restrictions and more concerned what will happen if these bridges are neglected for another generation. At that point we may be looking at wholesale replacements and not repairs.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

Meanwhile our government is spending $850 billion on F-35's that will never see any real action while our infrastructure literally crumbles at home. We always have our priorities in the right place in this country.

Its a lot less expensive to build weapons in advance that won't see military action, than to be perceived as weak and look like easy pickings for a predatory power.


If the federal government had built up its military in advance in the 1930's, it would have been expensive, but not nearly as expensive as WWII proved to be. Maybe Germany and Japan would have had 2nd thoughts about causing trouble with a well armed US.

[fleetiebelle]

Originally Posted by trlstreet

I'm less concerned with weight restrictions and more concerned what will happen if these bridges are neglected for another generation. At that point we may be looking at wholesale replacements and not repairs.

Not unlike the Greenfield bridge. It's going to be an inconvenience, but think how much more of a hassle it would be if an artery like the Liberty Bridge had to be completely removed and rebuilt.

[Goinback2011]

Some of the bridges are scary.

That being said, I think this is politics. There's a dispute about how much to fund state transportation.....yet again this year.

[pghdude28]

Now we're talking! At least some people on here can admit our infrastructure is deteroriating and **** poor. Totally worthless politicians in all levels. Incompetent, corrupt, and air headed. But what do you expect in a banana republic?

[gmagoo]

Originally Posted by pghdude28

Now we're talking! At least some people on here can admit our infrastructure is deteroriating and **** poor. Totally worthless politicians in all levels. Incompetent, corrupt, and air headed. But what do you expect in a banana republic?

Worthless politicians indeed but they can`t be re-elected if they tell it the way it is. The money just isn`t there. Fuel efficient vehicles aren`t providing as much revenue at the pump as they once did and no aspect of road and bridge construction and maintenance have gotten cheaper. We prefer cars to mass transit and now we`ll pay the price. Politicians cannot print money.