Ever been detoured on the road without knowing why?

[Woodbutcher]

I travel between the Chicago suburbs to Galena, the farthest NW part of Illinois every week. I was coming back on a Thursday, a few weeks ago on Route 20. It is the main east west road and it's closed and detoured. There is a security guard, huge lights and a shelter set up. Very unusual but no notice as to what is going on. So I have to drive about 15 minutes out of my way. Returning Monday to Galena The road is still blocked at the other end. This leaves about a 6 mile stretch of RT 20 closed. Same set up still no notice why. This goes on for 2 weeks. I guessed there was bridge work. Well On a return trip the road was finally open. No bridge work. But I noticed a farm I have passed for 11 years looked different. Not sure why. When I get to Galena the newspaper has a story. Here is the farm I am talking about.



The farmhouse had been badly damaged by fire last winter. Some local people contacted ABC'S Extreme Home Makeover and they were there those 2 weeks building the family a new home. That answers the closed road question. The paper said they had a total of 1500 volunteers doing all sorts of jobs. They work round the clock and are very well organized. They built a lay down area across the road to receive the materials and sort them. A new driveway and lots of grading had to be done just to get the large semi's onto the property. One lady they interviewed said her job was to pressure wash the inside of an out building from midnight to 4 AM.
So next time I get detoured I will give a second thought as to way. The house is located on Highway 20 near Lena Illinois. The show will air November 15th. They really did a nice job from the outside. It will be neat to watch the show and check out the interior.

[Oasis Maker]

From the few shows I've seen, they have a good premise with some nice human interest stories. But something has to be written into the agreement that the new homeowners cannot take out an equity line on the house for a stated amount of time. There have been some real abuses reported down the line where the families involved have actually lost the home to foreclosure, or fight over it after a divorce, etc ... Kinda takes away the warm fuzzy feelings that occur on the show.



Scott G.

[Catoosa Grani]

Here in Ok. they did a make over for a lady and her children whose husband had died. He was a minister and there were lots of helpers there to aid them. Well, shortly after the show aired, they talked to her to see how things were going. She had remarried and sold the house. I don't understand how she got by with this.

[Bigwoods]

I have wondered how the money works out. Most people would owe a mortgage on the old house that would probably have to be paid. I understand most of the new place would have donated labor and materials. Jusy wondered how it financially get done.

[SIXTOTWO]

We have a friend who has a daughter with severe medical conserns and another older daughter. She was interviewed to be a canidate for the show. They had everything that would qualify them including her parent's property to build on. The one thing that prevented them getting the place was that her husband is a total jerk~deadbeat. Since the medical problems with the second daughter, he hasn't supported her or the kids and she won't divorce him so they wouldn't give it to her and her daughters. In the end he could have ended up taking it all from her. Glad they have those policies but it's a shame that this lady didn't get it...she and her daughters are very deserving and they need it badly.

[IASCOTT]

I have some problems with this show. It's wonderful that they want to help people but I just can't think things are not to well thought out. Most of the people that are being help have financial troubles and are just barely affording the house they have. Now walk in extreme home make over and builds these folk 500,000 plus house. A new house what could be better but we have big brother with his hand out with property taxes. I wouldn't be a bit surprise that property taxes would be more than their old house payments for a year. I have no idea how the new house owner is even going to adjust to that huge raise in their taxes. Let alone all the taxes that will be applied to what was given to them for housing furnishings.

Scott

[rebapuck]

In 1980, I was detoured on the way to work. That's when I spotted my first vintage VW bus for sale. It wasn't vintage then, of course. I did worry about buying a 13 year old vehicle. 29 years later........

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

I don't watch a lot of TV with my digital converter box for free TV,
but I happened to catch this episode last night and what a touching story...

[goldcoop]

I always LOVE the "Road Construction Ahead" signs that start like 2 miles before you get to it...

Then traffic cones to choke down traffic...

Then NOTHING... NO equipment, no workers, no sign of anything being done????

This really PO's ME... Anyone else have this experience OR is it just a PA thing?

Cheers,

Coop

[rebapuck]

No. It's national.

My biggest gripe with road construction is that it NEVER ENDS.

Second is those yellow/white barrels stay forever. Three/five/seven years after, they are still by the roadside.

Third is the use of NO PARKING signs on the interstate. What's that about? Who's going to "park" there so they can walk 3 miles to WalMart? I think someone got a kickback for awarding that contract.

[starleen2]

Last Time i was detoured, I got to see downtown Columbus, OH - Missed the bypass due to construction

[DrCrash]

Did you know in Michigan there are two seasons..

One winter...
Two orange cone season...

[mandy]

We have so much construction going on I wish I took stock in the orange barrel industry.

Seriously I-25 in Albuquerque was closed over night for a movie called Due Date. A lot of trucker were not happy with that.

[traveler]

Not only are those people going to have an raise in property taxes, but some of those families can't keep a house clean, what is going to happen when it come cleaning the house time??????
Home makeover do a really nice job compared to the home that was there before, wouldn't want them to do my home.
I had waiting time because of three propellers from a wind generator was going to some farmers farm, and after those three went by, the 200 ft tower came around the same corner, so it was about an hour till the road was clear. Had a good sleep.
Bruce

[Lou Park]

I have some problems with this show. Now walk in extreme home make over and builds these folk 500,000 plus house. A new house what could be better but we have big brother with his hand out with property taxes. I wouldn't be a bit surprise that property taxes would be more than their old house payments for a year.

Scott

I was wondering the same but on the other side. Doesn't uncle sam extend his hand out for income tax on this kind of thing? What a kick in the %&*#@'s to have all this handed to you then have to pay 2-300,00 in income tax.
Lou