- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: Why are Louisiana road contractors so terrible?
Posted on 11/30/23 at 8:54 am to PhiTiger1764
Posted on 11/30/23 at 8:54 am to PhiTiger1764
quote:
There are a significant amount of weather days built into every contract. It usually does not make the nightly news when the contractor takes a weather day.
But hey it’s sure fun to bitch about things we don’t know about.
So it rains enough that in 30 - 40 years they can't finish 10 miles of road construction? If so someone needs to develop another means of building roads.
I have been in some phase of the construction industry for the last 40 years. I have seen contracts let where the customer had no idea what they wanted or needed and the contractors who had the contract were among the most crooked con artists to ever shite between a pair or brogans...and nary a single one of them would have the audacity to blame 40+ years of work failing to finish less than 10 miles of highway on the weather. Those pole lights I helped unload took 40 years to install. In that same period of time the Southern Company built 4 nuclear reactors 15 miles away. I will go out on a limb here and state, unequivocally that A). Building nuclear reactors is infinitely more challenging than installing street lights and B). There wasn't that much of a difference in the weather where those reactors were built and where those lights were installed that would have taken 40 years to do about 4 weeks worth of work. Hell, there ain't no place on earth with weather that bad.
0
Posted on 11/30/23 at 8:56 am to Rocklicker
I feel certain that it has at least something to do with the reason why almost all of our roads are in such atrocious condition to that of neighboring states, and all states in the southeast. Perhaps it’s using cheap materials and specifications or scope that is playing a part in all of this. I have never experienced a place that struggles so mightily in both building and maintaining their surface streets and interstates/highways as this state does. It’s pathetic and embarrassing really. Mississippi does a far better job than we do.
I recently trailered a vehicle from the east coast to BR, and outside of a relatively small section of Birmingham, the absurdity of road conditions found along I-12 and on the surface streets in BR were just simply mind bogglingly awful, and telling. By far the worst I encountered, and it wasn’t even comparable really. It really resonates when you’re trailering something. The potholes and undulation of the roads here are simply inexcusable for a supposed first world nation.
I recently trailered a vehicle from the east coast to BR, and outside of a relatively small section of Birmingham, the absurdity of road conditions found along I-12 and on the surface streets in BR were just simply mind bogglingly awful, and telling. By far the worst I encountered, and it wasn’t even comparable really. It really resonates when you’re trailering something. The potholes and undulation of the roads here are simply inexcusable for a supposed first world nation.
Posted on 11/30/23 at 9:37 am to Marshhen
quote:
I’ve never heard someone blame the heat…it’s more likely due to the fact that everything south of I-10 was once a swamp. The roads in N Louisiana don’t have the same issues
What I was going to say.
S LA surface is based on sedimentary deposits which can wash out, compress, or have other issues.
If you are somewhere like Arizona, for instance, you don’t have to go far to get bedrock but you are going to have different issues, such as if you have to drill for whatever reason.
Other southern states have a lot of this, especially the Gulf South like Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Mississippi in particular has “Yazoo clay” which will expand and contract irregularly, which is a bitch for roadways and buildings if it is nearby.
Posted on 11/30/23 at 9:56 am to Rocklicker
Because the State forces DOTD to use the lowest bidder. Then contractors gets over his head and claims bankrupcy. Then we force the Bond company to handle the situation. Finally after 3 times the original timeline and double the money spent the project get completed. Rinse and Repeat. This is how DOTD functions....its a cluster f*
Posted on 11/30/23 at 9:58 am to mthorn2
quote:
This is how DOTD functions....its a cluster f*
And the head of the organization just tried to run for Governor.
And it was probably LESS successful than works done by his agency.
Posted on 11/30/23 at 10:19 am to PhiTiger1764
quote:
There are a significant amount of weather days built into every contract. It usually does not make the nightly news when the contractor takes a weather day. But hey it’s sure fun to bitch about things we don’t know about.
Okay Mr DOTD, how many months delay are built into this schedule? And who pays for the additional weather delays once this prepaid card is used up?
Posted on 11/30/23 at 10:29 am to BabyTac
quote:
I complained for a while about how long construction between Beaumont and the La border was taking, just to realize over Thanksgiving that Louisiana just started it’s part.
I’m guessing a decade that the portion between the border and Lafayette are a complete shite show. I guess there’s always that adult video store to pull off at.
Louisiana has been working on their side for at least 3 years. The 3 lane additions to the Starks exit should almost be completed.
Posted on 11/30/23 at 11:56 am to teke184
quote:
S LA surface is based on sedimentary deposits which can wash out, compress, or have other issues.
You should see this section of Highway 182 (Old US 90) in Houma between the Hollywood Traffic Circle and Bayou Blue light.
The sides of the roads are collapsing and creating large cracks in the middle and on the shoulder from the drought conditions. So the ground is shrinking under the roadbed.
It has been well past time that DOTD should have widened that stretch to 4 lanes any way. But you can always take the 4 lane Prospect Extension to head south to get to the airport or Cocodrie.
This post was edited on 11/30/23 at 11:59 am
Posted on 11/30/23 at 12:05 pm to Rocklicker
quote:
The I-10 widening through Baton Rouge
Who was awarded that job?
Posted on 11/30/23 at 12:06 pm to AwgustaDawg
But the welcome centers are awesome. Got that Community Coffee!!
Posted on 11/30/23 at 12:12 pm to Pfft
Have to say, the contractor doing the work on highway 90 at the Ambassador Caffery interchange near Lafayette is doing a really good job. They have had very dry weather and they are getting a lot done.
Posted on 11/30/23 at 12:14 pm to brewhan davey
quote:
Because there are few, if any, accountability measures that apply to contractors once they win that sweet government contract.
There's the problem. Texas builds encentives into the contract for finishing early and HUGE penalties PER DAY for being late.
Posted on 11/30/23 at 12:19 pm to Capt ST
quote:
1 week in and already 2 weeks behind.
So you’ve seen the schedule and know that this was on critical path?
Posted on 11/30/23 at 12:36 pm to Rocklicker
... you can't expect anything fast concerning road work --- especially when the only tools you have to work with would be a teaspoon and a rolling pin ...
Posted on 11/30/23 at 12:40 pm to Elblancodiablo
it’s a joint venture with kiewit and boh
Posted on 11/30/23 at 12:58 pm to mthorn2
quote:
Because the State forces DOTD to use the lowest bidder. Then contractors gets over his head and claims bankrupcy. Then we force the Bond company to handle the situation. Finally after 3 times the original timeline and double the money spent the project get completed. Rinse and Repeat. This is how DOTD functions....its a cluster f*
I will just about guarantee you that the Louisiana Department of Transportation, or whatever the agency is called, has no requirement that they use the lowest bidder on a project. I know for a certainty that IF there is any federal money involved, and most likely there is, they do not have to go with the lowest bidder. They have to go with the lowest bidder who is technically sufficient to perform the work. This gives them a BUNCH of leeway to use their buddies and to practice crony capitalism and it has been driven by people claiming that lowest bidder was the problem to begin with. It was a problem for crony capitalism.
The problem is multi-faceted. First off the design is done by private parties. Their fee is based in part on the cost of construction. This means they over design. Take a look at the amount of grading and backfilling and compaction that is required to build a federal highway. It is about 3-4 feet of various fill materials compacted to a point that a backhoe can't dig it up without a hammer. It has to extend for several feet, be sloped perfectly, and a host of other specs that drive up the cost and the design fee. Then when construction starts you have a person making about $60K a year with little to no practical experience conducting oversight on behalf of the taxpayer. They miss most things but even when they do indentify an issue their manager, at the behest of the contractor who got the project urgency to their friend who got them the contract, overides that poor bastard and he gets chastised for rocking the boat...so he only does it a few times and then everything is A OK.
After building starts the buyer, the state, realizes that what is being done is not what they expected or needed. It does not matter that they didn't know what the needed at the beginning and the designer didn't ask what they actually needed the entire design process is ongoing throughout the projects life...and the designer and the contractor gets paid well for every change, delay, rework. They never inform the customer that their plans wont work, they wait until the cash is in the bank then point it out.
If the state is using low bidder it is out of laziness. There is not requirement anywhere, especially if federal money is involved, which does not allow for technical weighting to compare apples to apples....
Posted on 11/30/23 at 1:19 pm to lsufishnhunt
quote:
So you’ve seen the schedule and know that this was on critical path?
I have not, that was more of a tongue in cheek comment based on timing and weather forecast. But we shall see how it shakes out the next couple of days. However, one would think starting and finishing work on the actual interstate would be the schedule driver.
Posted on 11/30/23 at 1:34 pm to AwgustaDawg
quote:
lowest bidder who is technically sufficient to perform the work
Correct
quote:Not really true. Its designed to a budget and a collaboration between geotechnical engineers, structurals, and civils. These firms are rarely under the same umbrella.
Their fee is based in part on the cost of construction. This means they over design.
quote:
Take a look at the amount of grading and backfilling and compaction that is required to build a federal highway. It is about 3-4 feet of various fill materials compacted to a point that a backhoe can't dig it up without a hammer. It has to extend for several feet, be sloped perfectly, and a host of other specs that drive up the cost and the design fee.
This is standard practice across the nation for longevity reasons. You want it to meet 95% compaction or there will be subsidence issues....especially in south.
quote:
Then when construction starts you have a person making about $60K a year with little to no practical experience conducting oversight on behalf of the taxpayer. They miss most things but even when they do indentify an issue their manager, at the behest of the contractor who got the project urgency to their friend who got them the contract, overides that poor bastard and he gets chastised for rocking the boat...so he only does it a few times and then everything is A OK.
I don't argue with this point. Fair assessment for Louisiana.
quote:
After building starts the buyer, the state, realizes that what is being done is not what they expected or needed. It does not matter that they didn't know what the needed at the beginning and the designer didn't ask what they actually needed the entire design process is ongoing throughout the projects life...and the designer and the contractor gets paid well for every change, delay, rework. They never inform the customer that their plans wont work, they wait until the cash is in the bank then point it out.
There are numerous review steps along the way of any design project. Nothing is being done that isn't wanted or needed by client to cover themselves for liability.
quote:
If the state is using low bidder it is out of laziness.
Its out of legislation which could also translate to laziness. Correct.
Posted on 11/30/23 at 2:00 pm to animalcracker
quote:
under the direct supervision of ladotd!
Some of the strictest guidelines you can imagine, sometimes to the point of obstruction.
And it’s not always because the contractor is dragging. Ever heard of Liquidated Damages?
Most people bitching don’t have a clue.
Posted on 11/30/23 at 2:10 pm to Rocklicker
Ohhh idk about texas staying on schedule for road construction
Page 3 of 4
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News