THE PRICE OF PROGRESS

Here in Cuenca the local topic of conversation is either the weather ( it's supposed to be the dry season..) or how the traffic is all snarled up due to the construction of the Under/Over pass on Ave. Las Americans and Ave. Ordonez Lasso/Gran Columbia.

We live right next to the area in question.. well a bit down from where they are actually digging the hole, but near enough that we have noticed that alot of stores have closed, and getting to and from Supermaxi takes us rather close to all the construction going on.

I walked all the way around it today and took pictures. Since most of my working life I have worked in the Nuclear Construction industry, I am very interested in how they do what they do here! These gentlemen are working 24/7 to get this job done by Nov. 3. With all the rain we have had, they are fighting another battle with the mud.  So here we go on the walking tour.

The road stops at the blue barrier and the median has been cut out so the traffic can do a U turn and head back up the other side. The local businesses and banks are very happy for the traffic pattern.

Part of the path along the outside of the construction to the left.. the right is piping that is staged for later use.

Squeeze by the rebar stacked in our traffic lane.. the coat over the head is to ward off the sun.. it burns quickly.

They are hand placing huge rocks for the bottom layer before they pour concrete. Can you see them throwing those huge rocks along the line.. Oh my aching shoulders.

The orange guy is digging out the dirt, piling it behind him for the yellow guy on top to scoop it out and put it into the yellow dump truck. It rained really really hard last nite so I was amazed at how the dirt did not look that muddy.

In the States you would see all kinds of barriers to hold up the dirt from collapsing onto the workers.. Here the use of plywood barriers is not that common. I am assuming that  they are using plastic sheeting to funnel the water into the bottom, and keep the dirt back. I have seen water pumpers down there at other times, but none today.

That is our Supermaxi and Sukasa stores in the background.. they have made sure with a little maneuvering the customers can still get to the market. Oh, and can you see the pole holding up the wires out of the way? That always makes me smile.

I just missed getting a photo of this fellow scampering up the scaffolding to stand on this tiny ledge.. no fall protection. But I was happy to see that all the fellows working with the rebar had on heavy gloves. That stuff is really miserable on bare hands!

My return path on the other side of the street... narrows to make room for this big guy..

It has been quite an inconvience to those who live and have businesses along this road; but everyone is looking forward to the ease of traffic congestion once the construction is finished, and like they say, this is the price of progress.