LOUISVILLE, KY -- For over a week, a state construction crew has been tirelessly constructing absolutely nothing along a half-mile stretch of Glendale Road, near Fern Creek park. Although the project looks quite official, with real-life tractors and bulldozers -- even a man holding a “SLOW” sign -- mind-boggingly little has been accomplished since the crew began on February 29.

Vincent Ortega, who lives in Fern Creek, drives past the construction zone nearly every day on his way to work. “It’s stupid,” he said. “All I see is dirt being spread around for no reason, and a tractor driving back and forth. Geez, I hope not too many of my tax dollars are going into this. They claim to be putting in some sort of pipeline, but so far, I’ve seen no pipe."

Officials of the state transportation department could not be reached for comment, but Louisville City Commissioner Ted Salinger told The Teaspoon Times that every effort is being made to improve the short stretch of road. “They’re definitely putting in a pipeline,” he said. “Or are they repaving? Oh well, it doesn’t matter. Either way, they’re a remarkable group of folks, and they’ve made an incredible amount of progress. We in Louisville take great pride in our construction crews."

Someone not taking great pride in her daily commute is resident Kathy Samuelson, who drops her son off for soccer practice every afternoon in the park next to the construction zone. “There’s dirt,” she said. “I mean, a lot of dirt. Where it’s coming from, I’ll never know, because they’re not even digging any holes. I don’t know what the hell they’re doing over there, but I wish they’d just stop.” Echoing the worries of many of her fellow soccer moms, a misty-eyed Samuelson went on: “I just long for the days when I can send little Billy off to practice without worrying about him getting flattened by a bulldozer."

$30 million have been allocated for major construction projects in the Louisville area over the next five years. Projects slated for later this year include paving portions of the Ohio River, spot-welding most of the city’s manhole covers shut, and painting all the trees in the metro area blue.

E-mail this story

Add this to your blog! <a href="http://www.teaspoontimes.com/stories?ssn=xe749p07xwk9943c">Construction crew constructing absolutely nothing</a>