Tags: 
A Quincy Quarry News exclusive image
— Quincy Massachusetts News by Quincy Quarry News – News, Opinion and Commentary.
Feel the “love” tap to your six …
A Quincy Quarry News exclusive file photo image
Newport Avenue’s long-ongoing repaving project is finally nearing completion and so far it is a revelation as to just how well a street repaving can be done.
Especially in light of the history of such projects done in Quincy during the well-past overly long tenure of the Koch Maladministration.
On the other hand, all of of repaving needed and then striping of the new pavement have yet to be completed on this long-ongoing project.
Hockey rink Ice should be so smooth
A Quincy Quarry News exclusive image
Even so, so far it is still a revelation as to how just fine a repaving can be — manholes and water valve access holes are perfectly aligned with the road surface, interfacing with driveways spot on, seams between runs of paving tight, and the top coat of pavement as smooth as the water of a tall trees-lined pond at dawn on a windless day and thus before anyone opts for a cooling dip.
Even more amazing, however, is that this pro work is care of National Grid.
National Grid had to tear up Newport Avenue as well as a few other local streets so that it could significantly upgrade its local electrical grid’s backbone and was thus obligated to repave where its construction work had negatively impacted pavement.
Granted,the project has ran over a couple of years; at the same time, such was a relatively quick project as compared to the interminable as well as still far from completed renovation of Sea Street by the City of Quincy.
In all honesty, about the consequential problem along Newport Avenue will be drivers looking forward to enjoying high speed runs on its Grand Prix race track grade smooth pavement.
Lost in a deep thought
An old photo of Milton Friedman
Conversely, however, still comes the benefit of National Grid resetting the bar higher as to what locals can now expect on city-run paving contracts even if such comes at the cost of the usual “contributions” to the mayor’s campaign fund.
After all, one can only reasonably assume that a high quality paving company should not need to tender her but more likely his appreciation for scoring the contract for a repaving project.
Speaking of funding, do not swallow any spin out of City Hall that it saw the work done for free given that at end of the day the cost will be covered via locals’ power bills given that Milton Friedman was right: “(t)here is no such thing as a free lunch.”
Not even the ones Quincy Mayor Koch expenses to his campaign fund account.
The first half they finished paved last November should be ripped up and redone.
They did it after the November 15th winter moratorium when the weather was less than ideal. We will be paying for that in a few years with potholes.
When the ground is too cold (below 45 degrees) the new asphalt cools down to fast. This is in the MassDOT paving regulations.
My guess no inspector checking things to make sure done right.
OTOH, a job done done half right by National Grid is still better than one done by any of Quincy’s paving contractors.
Hopefully they get sidewalks on Sea Street right this time. Never mind paving the street.
So, would it be safe to assume that you’ve missed the Charlie Foxtrot rework of the intersection of Narragansett Road, Samoset Avenue, and Sea Street?
What’s the O/U on how long before parts of this stretch of pavement will be dug up again, for who knows what possible reason? That’s a question based on past and frequent experience.
Already happened in a couple of spots on Newport Avenue in the vicinity of its intersection with Warren Avenue.
On a bright note, however, these patches are smoother than the very best of patches done by the City of Quincy’s DPW peeps.
The Grid did a great job of notifications throughout the project. Too bad Graz didn’t work with Grid so as to build on his (lack of) roadway experience. He hires boobs and they are not held to standards. Who cares if the road is smooth? Not Graz. Who is worried about bicycles wiping out? Not Graz. Who cares about your car’s suspension taking a beating? Not Graz. Graz couldn’t run a one car parking garage. However, he is such a Loyal Blue Dog that none of that matters.