Comments on: Kyoto’s Road to Nowhere http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403 Not a photo blog, but sometimes I play one on TV Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:27:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.12-alpha by: Rui Brito http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-17344 Sat, 10 May 2008 04:56:34 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-17344 hmm, let's see, shortening the distance between 2 points, allowing less time wasted in the travel process... Which part exactly doesn't make sense here? <span class='jfriedl'>You're joking, right? Spending millions of dollars to shorten a pleasant drive by 30 seconds for a few dozen cars a day? What part <i>does</i> make sense here???? Are you a politician, or something? —Jeffrey</span> hmm, let’s see, shortening the distance between 2 points, allowing less time wasted in the travel process… Which part exactly doesn’t make sense here?

You’re joking, right? Spending millions of dollars to shorten a pleasant drive by 30 seconds for a few dozen cars a day? What part does make sense here???? Are you a politician, or something? —Jeffrey

]]> by: Teresa Heffernan http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-14457 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:53:03 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-14457 Dear Jeffrey, I am an English professor and have a book coming out called Post Apocalyptic Culture with the University of Toronto press. I really like your bridge to nowhere photos, and I am wondering if you would let me use one of them for the cover? (you would be fully acknowledged of course). I am sending a couple of ideas on to the publisher later this week, so let me know if this might be possible. Thank you. Best, Teresa Dear Jeffrey,

I am an English professor and have a book coming out called Post Apocalyptic Culture with the University of Toronto press. I really like your bridge to nowhere photos, and I am wondering if you would let me use one of them for the cover? (you would be fully acknowledged of course). I am sending a couple of ideas on to the publisher later this week, so let me know if this might be possible. Thank you. Best, Teresa

]]> by: Guillaume http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-14389 Sun, 10 Feb 2008 09:03:07 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-14389 LDP's pork barrel politics are famous... A way for local politicians to buy the support of affiliated local contruction companies (most of them are also linked with yakuza)... LDP’s pork barrel politics are famous… A way for local politicians to buy the support of affiliated local contruction companies (most of them are also linked with yakuza)…

]]> by: warren http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-10760 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 18:43:54 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-10760 Careful review of map gives a posible hint that there will be another tunnel strait ahead Careful review of map gives a posible hint that there will be another tunnel strait ahead

]]> by: Julia http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-3815 Mon, 26 Mar 2007 08:59:24 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-3815 Nice find! Reminds me of our mountain areas up here in Iwate, where many such shortenings are built in places where they don't seem very necessary, and lots of incredibly wide roads lead to incredibly small villages. Welcome to Japan, as you said. Nice find! Reminds me of our mountain areas up here in Iwate, where many such shortenings are built in places where they don’t seem very necessary, and lots of incredibly wide roads lead to incredibly small villages.

Welcome to Japan, as you said.

]]> by: Derek http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-3808 Mon, 26 Mar 2007 04:24:46 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-3808 I was less concerned about hairpins in the ROAD as I was about hairpins in the RIVER. Hairpins in a RIVER are recipes for erosion issues, and considering that the road at that point seems to be nearly right above it (or at the very least, in the area that would be being eroded away), it might be a proactive measure to prevent the road from being wiped when that bend finally wears that road away. Now that's not the tightest river-bend I've ever seen, but judging from the photos, it looks like it's the kind of river that sees some significant increase in flow during thaw-season. <span class='jfriedl'>I see. I suppose that could be... I'll have to check it out next time I go. I'll be sad when they put the tunnel in, though, because I think a bridge deadending into a solid rock face is sort of cool :-) —Jeffrey</span> I was less concerned about hairpins in the ROAD as I was about hairpins in the RIVER.

Hairpins in a RIVER are recipes for erosion issues, and considering that the road at that point seems to be nearly right above it (or at the very least, in the area that would be being eroded away), it might be a proactive measure to prevent the road from being wiped when that bend finally wears that road away. Now that’s not the tightest river-bend I’ve ever seen, but judging from the photos, it looks like it’s the kind of river that sees some significant increase in flow during thaw-season.

I see. I suppose that could be… I’ll have to check it out next time I go. I’ll be sad when they put the tunnel in, though, because I think a bridge deadending into a solid rock face is sort of cool :-) —Jeffrey

]]> by: Grandma Friedl http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-3801 Sun, 25 Mar 2007 14:30:22 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-3801 A possible third opinion might be that building the roads first allows much more convenient access to removing the earth from the tunnel and adding shoring as it is dug. It seems that some sort of access road would be needed even to begin construction, so instead of building both a tempory and a permanent road, they let one suffice,thus saving money in the long run. However, that doesn't seem to be how government works as a rule, so Derek and Dan probably are both right.<br/> Did enjoy the photos as usual, Jeff <span class='jfriedl'>Certainly, if you're going to build a tunnel here, it makes sense to build the bridges first so that you have easy access. The question I raise is why do any of this? Mostly, though, I posted this because the bridge leading into a sold rock face makes for a surreal sight....—Jeffrey</span> A possible third opinion might be that building the roads first allows much more convenient access to removing the earth from the tunnel and adding shoring as it is dug. It seems that some sort of access road would be needed even to begin construction, so instead of building both a tempory and a permanent road, they let one suffice,thus saving money in the long run. However, that doesn’t seem to be how government works as a rule, so Derek and Dan probably are both right.
Did enjoy the photos as usual, Jeff

Certainly, if you’re going to build a tunnel here, it makes sense to build the bridges first so that you have easy access. The question I raise is why do any of this? Mostly, though, I posted this because the bridge leading into a sold rock face makes for a surreal sight….—Jeffrey

]]> by: Dan http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-3799 Sun, 25 Mar 2007 12:16:34 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-3799 Surely nothing more simple old-fashioned pork barrel politics at work. That's our taxes, that is. Surely nothing more simple old-fashioned pork barrel politics at work. That’s our taxes, that is.

]]> by: Derek http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-3797 Sun, 25 Mar 2007 11:33:14 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2007-03-25/403#comment-3797 It's possible that it's being done because that tight hairpin bend of the river becomes problematic during thaw season and such. Maybe the erosion issues at that point are such that the river is washing out the road slowly (or even regularly... there's plenty of roads in my area that really *should* be diverted because -- even if you can't see it by looking at them -- every winter like clockwork the spring thaws wash them away and they're completely rebuilt year after year). Dunno if that's the case, but it at least might offer some explanation. <span class='jfriedl'>That would make sense if it were an isolated curve, but as I noted, it's quite pleasant, and as straight as an arrow compared to other sections of the same road. Consider <a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&q=35.203021,135.760166&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=17&ll=35.155205,135.807914&spn=0.004579,0.013518' rel="nofollow">this section of road</a> a few miles to the south-east, which is full of steep hairpins. Regardless of your approach, you'll have to navigate steep hairpins like this on either side of the bridges. <br/> I'm sure there's an answer to why they're doing this, but I'm guessing it's the pork-barrel politics kind :-( —Jeffrey</span> It’s possible that it’s being done because that tight hairpin bend of the river becomes problematic during thaw season and such. Maybe the erosion issues at that point are such that the river is washing out the road slowly (or even regularly… there’s plenty of roads in my area that really *should* be diverted because — even if you can’t see it by looking at them — every winter like clockwork the spring thaws wash them away and they’re completely rebuilt year after year).

Dunno if that’s the case, but it at least might offer some explanation.

That would make sense if it were an isolated curve, but as I noted, it’s quite pleasant, and as straight as an arrow compared to other sections of the same road. Consider this section of road a few miles to the south-east, which is full of steep hairpins. Regardless of your approach, you’ll have to navigate steep hairpins like this on either side of the bridges.
I’m sure there’s an answer to why they’re doing this, but I’m guessing it’s the pork-barrel politics kind :-( —Jeffrey

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