Trouble with Morouns Monopoly

[jackie5275]

I think MDOT probably never thought of it. They're more involved in getting the Gateway Project and a second span to look the way they initally wanted.

[kraig]

I think MDOT probably never thought of it. They're more involved in getting the Gateway Project and a second span to look the way they initally wanted.

And that's part of the problem. MDOT has a responsibility that transcends Matty Moroun. They need to remember that.

[Melocoton]

And that's part of the problem. MDOT has a responsibility that transcends Matty Moroun. They need to remember that.

What responsibility are they shirking? Are the bridges and tunnels collapsing because MDOT's public relations office is talking to Brian Dickerson? Posting the travel times for one bridge without being able to post the travel times for the alternative bridge doesn't allow commuters to make a decision, the fundamental requirement for a "decision" being: more than one option from which to choose.

And if they're "playing games" with Maroun to make him look bad in public, then good. They should. This is one little story that is piling on his recent bad publicity. Keep 'em coming.

[kraig]

What responsibility are they shirking? Are the bridges and tunnels collapsing because MDOT's public relations office is talking to Brian Dickerson? Posting the travel times for one bridge without being able to post the travel times for the alternative bridge doesn't allow commuters to make a decision, the fundamental requirement for a "decision" being: more than one option from which to choose.

And if they're "playing games" with Maroun to make him look bad in public, then good. They should. This is one little story that is piling on his recent bad publicity. Keep 'em coming.

It's MDOT's idea to have a message board in canada that would alert drivers of the wait times at the Ambassador Bridge and the Bluewater Bridge. The message board would be placed somewhere along the 401 at a point before drivers have the opportunity to choose between taking the 401 to Windsor and the Ambassador Bridge or the 402 to Sarnia and the Bluewater Bridge.

Again, MDOT's position is that Matty isn't interested in collaborating with MDOT on that message board. The responsibility that MDOT is shirking in this case is that it isn't required that Moroun cooperate in order for MDOT to have a message board that indicates what the traffic is like at the Bluewater Bridge, or even the tunnel for that matter. The federal government, as pointed out in DetroitPlanner's link [[ information that he's now ignoring in his subsequent posts), provides that very same information. Therefore, it would not be a problem for MDOT if that's truly what they want to do.

As far as making Moroun look bad. He does a good enough job of that on his own. I'd rather see tax dollars being put to use for an intended purpose.

There's no coincidence that all of these stories on Moroun are coming out at the same time the budget for the state's portion of the DRIC is going to be discussed up in Lansing. Again, game playing. And the public ends up suffering.

[Melocoton]

As far as making Moroun look bad. He does a good enough job of that on his own. I'd rather see tax dollars being put to use for an intended purpose.

There's no coincidence that all of these stories on Moroun are coming out at the same time the budget for the state's portion of the DRIC is going to be discussed up in Lansing. Again, game playing. And the public ends up suffering.

Unfortunately, Moroun doesn't do a nearly good enough job on his own, since the media in this town and the politicians in this state give him free passes left and right. The things he's gotten away with are appalling.

And the "tax dollar" argument is really weak, especially when millions [[?) are wasted on the legal costs required to fight Moroun's endless obstructions and breaches of contract. Not to mention the associated costs of his demolitions and neglect of Detroit neighborhoods.

I know you are anti-DRIC [[I gather--I don't read these boards enough to know exactly why), so that's part of your issue here, but on the merits I see no case against exposing Matty to some of the public scrutiny that he doesn't get halfway near enough of.

[kraig]

Unfortunately, Moroun doesn't do a nearly good enough job on his own, since the media in this town and the politicians in this state give him free passes left and right. The things he's gotten away with are appalling.

And the "tax dollar" argument is really weak, especially when millions [[?) are wasted on the legal costs required to fight Moroun's endless obstructions and breaches of contract. Not to mention the associated costs of his demolitions and neglect of Detroit neighborhoods.

I know you are anti-DRIC [[I gather--I don't read these boards enough to know exactly why), so that's part of your issue here, but on the merits I see no case against exposing Matty to some of the public scrutiny that he doesn't get halfway near enough of.

So, wasting tax dollars is a weak argument? Well, I guess that's why we waste so much of it.

Here's the question, again. What is stopping MDOT from putting up a message board in Canada if that's what they want to do? If Canada doesn't stop them, neither can Moroun. So, why haven't they?

My problem with the DRIC is that it's going to serve only about 10,000 vehicles per day while we're not matching the funds for the roads that serve millions of people in the state.

I don't have a problem with someone spending money on luxuries, and that's what the DRIC is, a luxury. But, make sure you took care of the necessities first. And that, is what MDOT is not taking care of.

[Melocoton]

So, wasting tax dollars is a weak argument? Well, I guess that's why we waste so much of it.

No. Your claim that THIS [[i.e., talking to Brian Dickerson) is a waste of tax dollars is a weak argument.

Here's the question, again. What is stopping MDOT from putting up a message board in Canada if that's what they want to do? If Canada doesn't stop them, neither can Moroun. So, why haven't they?

I don't know. But who really cares? It seems obvious that this thing about signs and traffic is a PR move, intended to serve in MDOT's public campaign against Moroun, in their Gateway Project lawsuits and their DRIC campaign. [[But to answer, the traffic data seems to come from the operator of the bridge, so that's why Moroun could stop them).

As for the rest of it, about DRIC, that's another argument for another day and thread.