What's in a "foot"? (Surveying)

[RandyT]

It wouldn't be that expensive. The only way for it to happen simultaneously across the country would be as was done on the Labour Day weekend in 1977 in Canada. Labels were pasted over every speed limit sign in the country to make the conversion. The signs were gradually replaced later as they aged.

What was a bit of a pain, since the analog speedometers of the day didn't typically have KPH scales, was marking up the speedo with a crayon or sticking a conversion label of some sort on it. Today in the USA most vehicles have dual MPH/KPH analog speedometers or digital speedometers that can change between systems.

Interesting NY Times archives story from that weekend:
METRIC ROAD SIGNS DUE IN CANADA TODAY - The New York Times

Chris

I think the cost would add up faster than you think. How many signs could a normal 2 man crew change in an 8 hour shift. Being aware that the are probably making $20+ each per hour, and if you try to do it on a weekend they are now on double time pay. I can think of a 20 mile section of road that contains about 20 speed signs and around 5 distance to the next town signs and that is just for a single direction of travel on a divided four lane highway.

 

[Chris616]

I was just thinking about how many trillions of dollars that it would cost to change all the road signs to metric.

It wouldn't be that expensive. The only way for it to happen simultaneously across the country would be as was done on the Labour Day weekend in 1977 in Canada. Labels were pasted over every speed limit sign in the country to make the conversion. The signs were gradually replaced later as they aged.

I think the cost would add up faster than you think. How many signs could a normal 2 man crew change in an 8 hour shift. Being aware that the are probably making $20+ each per hour, and if you try to do it on a weekend they are now on double time pay. I can think of a 20 mile section of road that contains about 20 speed signs and around 5 distance to the next town signs and that is just for a single direction of travel on a divided four lane highway.

For this guess let's assume that the material costs are insignificant compared to the labour costs and that the job could be done in a three day weekend like was done in Canada (currently, the US has 6X the length of road network, but presumably 6X the number of road workers).

If workers are making $40/hour and work 24 hours over the weekend that's about $1000/worker. In order to spend one trillion dollars on labour would require having a billion workers - three times the population of the US.

Chris

 

[k0ua]

For this guess let's assume that the material costs are insignificant compared to the labour costs and that the job could be done in a three day weekend like was done in Canada (currently, the US has 6X the length of road network, but presumably 6X the number of road workers).

If workers are making $40/hour and work 24 hours over the weekend that's about $1000/worker. In order to spend one trillion dollars on labour would require having a billion workers - three times the population of the US.

Chris

Proof positive that a lot of folks, don't have a clue what a trillion dollars is. Maybe this will help.


What does one TRILLION dollars look like?

 

[k0ua]

As for the road signs, they wouldn't "trade out" all of the signs anyway. They would simply add some decals. And the cost , while I would not want to pay it, would be a few million at best. a few of those grocery bags mentioned above. A trillion dollars is a LOT of money. Careful how you spend it.

 

[4570Man]

What's in a "foot"? (Surveying)

Aren’t all these “workers” on salary anyway so they’re getting paid rather they change signs or do nothing? And I really don’t see urgency of having every one done in a day. As mentioned most vehicles read in both.

 

[k0ua]

Re: What's in a "foot"? (Surveying)

Aren’t all these “workers” on salary anyway so they’re getting paid rather they change signs or do nothing? And I really don’t see urgency of having every one done in a day. As mentioned most vehicles read in both.

Exactly. They would just work it into their work schedule.
we are paying them anyway.

 

[Jstpssng]

Re: What's in a "foot"? (Surveying)

I believe that most of the guys on highway crew are paid by the hour... possibly dependent on the state you live in.

 

[RandyT]

As for the road signs, they wouldn't "trade out" all of the signs anyway. They would simply add some decals. And the cost , while I would not want to pay it, would be a few million at best. a few of those grocery bags mentioned above. A trillion dollars is a LOT of money. Careful how you spend it.

Cost could still come back to get you

https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2013/09/26/cost-of-70-mph-speed-limit-could-be.html