by Travis Mateer
Yesterday I was VERY excited to see a beer truck driver because I knew, after seeing Governor Gianforte this past week at Fairmont Hot Springs, that the chances were good this driver was a trained soldier in the fight against human trafficking.
The video below takes place BEFORE I spoke with the beer truck driver, who did finally recall the training about human trafficking after some prodding, though he wasn’t aware of how drivers like him were being used in a political PR campaign, so I told him.
On the subject of bridges, the stage is being set for a grand show on Monday. What kind of amazing virtue signaling content will these signs display for the public?
Yes, that’s right, the graffiti artists are quicker than the virtue-signalers when it comes to content creation. Nothing surprising there.
What DOES surprise is how the topic of bridges in this town continues to trigger strong anger responses in me. The latest is the closure of the pedestrian bridge on the Northside, which opened to the public in 1999. Now, “extensive” repairs are needed, and that work is expected to start next year.
Here’s our new Mayor telling us this bridge is a top priority:
The City of Missoula closed the Northside Pedestrian Bridge on September 30 for safety considerations when significant fractures were discovered in the bridge decking and supports. The City has hired engineers to analyze the extent of the damage and design solutions to repair or replace the failing structures. The bridge will remain closed until repairs are completed.
Mayor Jordan Hess says re-opening the bridge is a top priority for the City. “This is an important transportation corridor in Missoula. We recognize that and take it very seriously,” Hess said. When engineering consultants complete their analysis and renovation plans later this year, the City will select a construction firm to repair the deck and rehabilitate the masonry bridge supports. City officials hope to start construction in early 2023.
The bridge that will be dedicated on Monday has ALREADY had problems, and that’s PLURAL problems. The shitty material used for the walkways gets so hot in the summer, dog paws might be injured due to the heat. So they painted it over. Then there was the closure of the bridge due to weight-bearing concerns.
But hey, at least they’ve got the PR right!
Bridges in Missoula really fire me up! Isn’t it ironic that “bridges” can be divisive things in a community? I guess when you make taxpayers pay for a $4.5 million dollar bridge that hardly anyone uses, or a $800,000 dollar bridge for meth users that private security can’t seem to consistently open, people like me who pay attention (an affliction) get a little testy.
Oh well. Enjoy the weekend!