Like many Ancient and Medieval cities, Basel at one time was surrounded by a city wall - or rather a series of city walls. There were a total of three walls built, one started in A.D. 1080, one starred in A.D. 1230, and one started in A.D. 1362 and finished in A.D. 1398. The latter two were built to accommodate the growing city.
Included as part of the Last and outer wall build, it stood from A.D. 1392 to the present.
I can't even imagine our citizenry agreeing to start a project such as building a wall knowing it may take nearly four decades to complete. We can barely do anything through the next administration. My how times have changed.
ReplyDeleteEd, on the one hand I do not believe that you are wrong. On the other hand, I believe that the nature of projects has changed immensely. Once upon a time is was to get something built or done. Now it is almost inevitably a thing where multiple needs have to be met and multiple hands are in the pocketbook to get their fair share.
DeleteOne of the actual projects I have seen done in my lifetime was the rebuilding of the I-5 Corridor after the Loma Prieta Earthquake. The project got done quickly and before the due date - to be fair, partially because there was a cash incentive to do so, but it got done. Too many projects now have no timeline driving them and no cost control over them.
Being in the Northridge earthquake provided a similar short rebuild timeline for all the roadwork that was required. Bonuses were paid out but then the locals even complained about that AFTER the work was done. Typically, projects, such as the Boston Big dig remind everyone of the waste and fraud involved in government projects. indyjones
DeleteIndyjones - Good on the ground information - and yes, people complained about the bonuses (yet liked the work actually done).
DeleteThe Boston Dig. Why is this not more publicly put out as a prime example of the Big Dig?
Light rail comes to mind locally, one running from the southwest suburbs to downtown is fourteen and half miles long.....750 million over original cost and four years behind completion.........heads need to roll TB.
ReplyDeleteNylon12, it certainly seems like public transit is one of the biggest situations where this thing is almost a matter of course.
DeleteI'm sure the walls got somewhat in the way eventually, but it's nice that they left a gate as a bit of their history.
ReplyDeleteWould that every city thought to do some preservation of this kind of history.
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