Driving My Life Away

Welcome to KC!

.......[c]2005 by Richard L Zorek......12.02.05..... Want an adventure that will change every time you do it and probably has far more options than the latest action video game? Try driving across Kansas City using any of the major highways. This morning I got caught in traffic at Antioch and 435 to begin with. The construction isn't really on the highway as much as it is to the overpass, but I have come to the conclusion that those orange signs that say "construction" have some dizzying affect on drivers and they feel the need to slow down and look at what it going on. That will then back everyone else up to who are now forced to look. Then I got caught in traffic on I-35 that went very slow from Cambridge Circle to the Broadway exit. Then, I got caught in traffic around the construction that was going on between Noland Road on I-70 in Independence out to about the Woods Chapel exit in Blue Springs. They weren't actually working on the road, though they had two left lanes marked off with orange markers, but there was only a truck and about 20 crew members filling a a forty foot section near Woods Chapel. (3 miles of highway blocked off so they could work on that 20 foot section???). On the way back, I opted to get off on 40 highway to avoid that mess and met the mess of traffic coming from the other way trying to avoid the previous mess. And there was a lighted sign at 40 Highway and Salsa Road that said "Striping Highways: Monday thru Friday." If they really do it that much, those highways should be very striped. They were putting a coat of stripes down at the 291 exit off 40 highway. If they are going to re-stripe, I would go with the "down under" zebra look, but this was just "Traditional American Freeway Orange." Just after that was the trucks and construction zone in front of the Bass Pro shop being built there.

OK, what is my point? Reliving the adventure made me forget. No wait......I remember. This is typical driving in Kansas City anymore. Once a new section of road is prepared, then another needs it, so it will match up with the new road. There is no quick way, anymore. You are bound to run into "Road Work Ahead" signs somewhere. Followed by "45 MPH in Construction Zone." I believe the reason for that is because if you hit a construction worker at 45 MPH he will bounce back up (must be the hat). But if you hit him at a faster speed.....it is not good. And then, fines are doubled for speeding. And I have never figured out why they are called "fines," because if you get one it is not fine. It kind of sucks, actually. Maybe it's just "fine" for the counties, because they get the money. So they must enjoy construction tickets because they are "really fine."

I have a dream. Of a drive around greater Kansas City without obstruction. No orange cones. No detours. No "construction ahead" signs. But alas my dream is too big and hurts my brain to comprehend. So I must end. End Article.