Most Thankless Job in Calgary - Director of Roads - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

KTrain · 03-11-2009, 11:49 AM

Here's a decent interview by The Sun with Ryan Jestin, the director of roads in Calgary.

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Columnis...703571-sun.php

Some of you will like this quote:

Quote:

But having endured the chill of a public peeved over slippery roads and treacherous side-streets, Jestin admits he gets a little hot under the collar watching the morning rush hour after an overnight dump of snow.

"The other side is it's a shared responsibility on the road -- it's incumbent upon drivers to take the extra time to get to work," said Jestin.

"I commute in the morning, and I like to see the roads in pristine shape, but I also like to see drivers who are driving in accordance with the conditions. "To be honest, it's a little frustrating to see the number of folks who'll drive on summer tires or all-season radials and think it's okay."

PsYcNeT · 03-11-2009, 11:53 AM

Yeah, sucks to be him, but he knew what he was in for when he inherited our terrible roadway infrastructure.

Good on him to fill potholes, whoopie doo, but what we really need is to have some roadways completely re-built.

Not to mention a few Deerfoot exits...

V · 03-11-2009, 11:57 AM

Ryan Jestin is not the Director of Roads. The article got it wrong.

In any case, re: the Deerfoot, Calgary doesn't own or maintain the Deerfoot. Thoughts are that the Deerfoot will only be handed over once Stoney Trail is finally complete.

PsYcNeT · 03-11-2009, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V

In any case, re: the Deerfoot, Calgary doesn't own or maintain the Deerfoot. Thoughts are that the Deerfoot will only be handed over once Stoney Trail is finally complete.

Really? Because I have maintenence workers for the City Of Calgary Roads submitting requests to work on Deerfoot all the time, and have never seen the MDRV submit any work order for Calgary, let alone Deerfoot.

Or does the province own/maintain it?

Locke · 03-11-2009, 12:01 PM

And here I thought the most thankless job in Calgary was 'Backup Goaltender.'

V · 03-11-2009, 12:02 PM

Yup, Alberta Transportation owns / maintains the Deerfoot. It may be that they contract the City's maintanance crews to maintain the road, but it is ultimately the province's jurisdiction.

BlackArcher101 · 03-11-2009, 12:11 PM

I can confirm Alberta Transportation maintains Deerfoot. Not directly though as they use a variety of contractors for it... but Carmacks is the main one I believe. Same theory as other provincial highways with Volker Stevin doing the south. I'm not sure how exactly the Stoney Trail ring road will be maintained as the Stoney Trail Group has maintenance for the next 30 years in their contract.

PsYcNeT · 03-11-2009, 12:13 PM

OT: God I hate Volker Stevin.

Teh_Bandwagoner · 03-11-2009, 12:14 PM

Deerfoot is owned and operated by Alberta Transportation. Carmacks is the maintenance contractor hired by AT. I'm not sure if the City uses the same guys or not though.

Edit: Volker takes care of the areas outside of Calgary I believe.
Edit 2: What BlackArcher said!

BlackArcher101 · 03-11-2009, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

OT: God I hate Volker Stevin.

Why's that? (I used to work for them)

PsYcNeT · 03-11-2009, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Why's that? (I used to work for them)

I'm sure it's not the case with the whole company, but down at the site supervisor level, they are hopelessly thick and very hard to deal with. Their secretaries are fairly surly as well.

ok, ok,....I get it · 03-11-2009, 12:22 PM

maybe if he did not suck.......

valo403 · 03-11-2009, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

I'm sure it's not the case with the whole company, but down at the site supervisor level, they are hopelessly thick and very hard to deal with. Their secretaries are fairly surly as well.

As a former employee I can confirm this. Most of the site guys were almost universally ignored.

BlackArcher101 · 03-11-2009, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

I'm sure it's not the case with the whole company, but down at the site supervisor level, they are hopelessly thick and very hard to deal with. Their secretaries are fairly surly as well.

Ah yes, I can agree 100% on that. There were a few good apples in the higher levels... but it seemed to be a big pissing match between most of them.

However, the job quality the company put out was pretty good. I can always tell when I'm "back home" and driving on Volker roads.

metallicat · 03-11-2009, 03:17 PM

How about the guys who actually have to work for the City of Calgary, with the low budget and not enough equipment? They work harder than the director of the roads does, I can guarantee that.

Wookie · 03-11-2009, 03:39 PM

what's "the deerfoot?"
Weirdos

Shazam · 03-11-2009, 04:24 PM

I just wish they'd stop acting surprised every year when it starts snowing.

Overall, it wasn't too bad this year, other than the deplorable clearing job they did on southbound Crowchild from 24th to Kensington back in December.

BlackArcher101 · 03-11-2009, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shazam

I just wish they'd stop acting surprised every year when it starts snowing.

Same goes with the people that live here.

Shazam · 03-11-2009, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Same goes with the people that live here.

So true, LOL.

STeeLy · 03-11-2009, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

However, the job quality the company put out was pretty good. I can always tell when I'm "back home" and driving on Volker roads.

They should bring them out to the cities in Ontario... a lot of them could use it.