Page 102 - REALLY What A time Book IX

REALLY SO WHAT
What A Time

OUR BACK YARD

The Shirley Highway effort was one. While clearing the future
roadway, they would also build access roads and bridges. Each
would be a separate project and hopefully be completed in a
timely coordinated manner. We had all these projects going
on simultaneously.

This process of developing many different parts of a large
project was streamlined by Admiral Rickover when he built the
first atomic submarine, Nautilus. I, much later would work on
‘Critical Path’ computer software to coordinate huge systems
and construction projects.
My interest in these developments would change as they
moved along. The highway held less interest, because it would
be finished last. Until it was built and vehicles drove on it, I
would continue to cross the valley going back and forth to
school.

One project was a new bridge across King Street. The old one
was our main access to Alexandria and Washington. This was
a big bridge, made of reinforced concrete spanning each side.
Below it lay all the dirt that they removed to sink the
abutment. I had an interest in it, and not just because of the
dirt.
It came about from the movies. The Saturday matinees were
not just Westerns. We were getting more than a double dose
of them, but also the latest news. All the news we could stand.
Among the recurring items it seems the country was going

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