Drivetime Mahatma

Called 311, 2 potholes vanished

Dear Mahatma: A comment about "Pothole City." I called the city's 311 number and reported two potholes in front of our home. They were filled the next day. Way to go, Public Works Department. -- Happy on Skyway

Dear Happy: You reference a column from two weeks ago in which a reader took Little Rock to the woodshed for the potholes in city streets. We gave Mayor Mark Stodola a chance to defend the city's honor, and he did. Now you offer this gracious testimonial, which no doubt will inspire city workers to fill even faster.

Dear Mahatma: There is a traffic signal that confuses me. For the left turn lane when there is a red light but a green arrow under it, what the heck should I do? -- Faithful Reader

Dear Faithful: Go, baby. The green arrow gives you the right of way for that movement.

Dear Mahatma: When in a turn lane while stopped, is it necessary to run the blinker for the duration of the stoplight? Seems a waste of the blinker mechanism and otherwise overkill. Your advice please. -- Blinkered

Dear Blinkered: Keep on blinking, girl. You will show others how to be. And you might get a medal from all those people who have complained in this space that no one ever uses a turn signal anymore.

Dude: The two west lanes on the bridge on Cantrell Road just west of Dillard's were significantly patched a while back. As I recall, the patching was preliminary resurfacing. Nothing has happened. There must be a good reason. When will we have a smooth ride over that bridge? -- Mr. K

Dear Mr. K: As you know, Cantrell Road is also known as Arkansas 1o, and so its maintenance is the responsibility of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department.

David Nilles, who speaks for the Highway Department, says the agency is aware of the condition of the driving surface. He says work has gone on for many months on the bridge's substructure in an effort to improve the bridge's weight restrictions.

An inspection sometime this summer will determine the success of the work, or if more work is needed. After which, there will be a decision on the removal and replacement of the asphalt surface.

Dear Mahatma: My daughter and husband had to change their license plate because it had a J in it, and were told the state was recalling all plates with this letter. What's up with that? -- Jane

Dear Jane: Roger Duren, administrator of the state Office of Motor Vehicles, knows all about license plates.

Plates in which the first alpha character is a J have been in issuance for eight years. The plate number might be any between 001 JAA and 999 JZZ.

Eight years is a long time for a license plate. Over the course of those years, plates lose their reflective quality.

Replacing old plates is a common practice. Nothing against the letter J.

Vanity plate on a yellow Corvette convertible: MELLO.

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Metro on 07/26/2014

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