Editor, The Smithfield Times:

VDOT definitely needs an older person on its board that makes decisions.  

On Route 17 heading in Isle of Wight, our “children” are wanting to take two absolutely necessary stop lights at Omera Drive and Cedar Grove Road. So those who don’t live here can continue to go 55 mph through our county with two fewer stops. 

Listen! Those lights were put there for a very valid reason: Accidents were happening. Stop lights cost $250,000 and more. Why would we want those removed to learn what we already know? Deaths and injuries!  

We local yokels want those lights in place for the purpose they were intended. Even more folks live on those streets today than when those lights were installed. Mercury Boulevard handles traffic flow by having lights coordinated to change as people drive through. Duh! Why can’t that be done on Route 17?  

Our population is getting older. Sugar Hill needs those gaps created by stop lights to get across the road. And another issue: If you want another study, look at the accidents that happen by turning from or onto Sugar Hill Road. We’ve never had a light. We sure would like one, but VDOT thinks the answer is “no left turns” for Sugar Hill instead. Yes, I can understand between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. but not 24/7.  

We presently are beginning to have the same travel issues as the big cities. It’s my opinion that VDOT needs to go back to the drawing board. Instead of disregarding conventional solutions and using AI, use some common sense. Carrollton needs to vote on something this serious.  Take us forward, not backward. Mad as a wet hen.

 

Jo Ann Finderson

Carrollton