Why is it that we are spending money to repave East Dunne Avenue
when there are streets like Hill Road, East Main Avenue and Half
Road that need the attention more?
“Why is it that we are spending money to repave East Dunne Avenue when there are streets like Hill Road, East Main Avenue and Half Road that need the attention more? These roads are full of pot holes. And yes I understand that Dunne Avenue is a main road in town.”
Red Phone: Dear Needs New Shocks, Red Phone contacted Mori Struve, deputy director of public Works, who said that with funding limitations for street resurfacing a “worst first” approach to a pavement resurfacing program is not cost effective. Traffic volumes are high on Dunne Avenue, which is a major roadway, and likely to be used by heavier vehicles and trucks, Struve explained. It is a priority for resurfacing as early in the pavement’s life as possible. Typically designed to last 20 to 25 years, an unmaintained asphalt pavement deteriorates slowly in the first 10 to 15 years of its life, but rapidly over the last five years. Pavement resurfacing treatments are least expensive when done earlier in the pavement’s life and are most effective in extending its life. Some pavements, if maintained in a timely basis, could last well in excess of 50 years. However, to be “timely” requires optimal funding, which is not the reality.
“So, Dunne Avenue between Laurel Road and Butterfield Boulevard is getting resurfaced, not because it is in the worst condition by comparison to other roadways, but because it is a major arterial,” Struve said. “Paving it now will be most cost effective in extending the pavement’s life, and will keep this roadway … in the best condition possible at the least cost over its lifetime.”
Struve said funding for the work on Dunne Avenue is provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Stimulus Funding Program. Without this funding the city would not have been able to complete the project without putting many other paving needs further behind.
There you have it, good caller. Hope that helps.
Fed up with Charter Communications
“Here’s the $175 (yes, that’s just about how much I pay for Digital TV and Internet) question. How is it that Charter Communications came to be the only cable company available in Morgan Hill? Was it a city choice thing? A county thing? What? I did a bit of research and found out that Charter filed for Chapter 11 in March of this year. Any chance the company will give up Morgan Hill and we could get another company? Comcast has got to be better, right?”
Red Phone: Dear Disgusted With Charter, Red Phone contacted Anthony Eulo, program administrator for the city of Morgan Hill. He said cable companies applied to cities and counties to provide services decades ago when cable television was first offered. Unlike phone and electricity service franchises that are considered essential services and were regulated by the State Public Utilities Commission, cable companies were often smaller enterprises that used investor money to extend their optional services into an area.
“Over time, nearly all of the small ‘Mom and Pop’ cable providers were bought out by larger firms,” Eulo said. “Charter Communications bought out the community’s prior cable company, Falcon Cable, 10 years ago. Falcon itself had bought out a previous company to get established in this area. Recent changes in state law now dictate that the Public Utilities Commission is the franchising authority for cable services.”
Eulo said it is very expensive to build a cable plant in a community which is why most areas are served by only one cable company – even though cable franchise agreements are nonexclusive. Particularly today, with satellite services garnering a large share of the market, the potential revenue stream from being the second cable television service in a community is inadequate to pay for the construction of a new system. This is why most communities have only one cable company. In addition, because it is not economically feasible for a company to “move” its cable infrastructure to another community, state and federal law make it nearly impossible to force a company to leave an area and create an opportunity for a new company.
“There is virtually no chance that Charter will abandon its assets in Morgan Hill and leave an opening for a different company to serve the community,” Eulo said. “Their system is worth millions of dollars. However, there is the potential that Charter may one day sell or trade this area to another company in order to achieve their financial goals.”
So good caller, looks like the best chance you and other subscribers have is for Charter to go bankrupt and a new provider come in.
