By Staff
City should heed road warning
Editor:
Several years ago, several residents and I urged the Hartselle City Council to implement a four-way stop on Garner Road at the intersection of Garner Road/Summerlane Drive and the Shoal Creek entrance. Our main objective with this important proposal was to highlight the danger posed by having hidden driveways on both sides of this busy elevated intersection.
The residents living on either side of this intersection are in danger of having an automobile collision while backing out, especially because some on-coming vehicles exceed 25 mph. Apparently, the head of the Street Department never recognized the danger of traffic from both sides of this mound intersection. An accident has already happened once, although without injuries or deaths occurring, but another one is subject to happen again; it's just a matter of time.
Since the proposal was requested, several homes have been built, and more will be built in the future. Therefore, the traffic flow will continue to increase. Of course, the police department cannot monitor traffic speed all the time, nor can a "speed breaker" be installed on the roadway. Adding two more stop signs would be a big factor in helping to prevent future accidents. Also, adding two more stop signs would be cheaper than the cost of automotive repairs, bodily injury, or worse yet, deaths.
In comparison, two other intersections, Booth/Barkley Street and Pearl/Barkley Street have four-way stop signs. However, they do not have a ridge with hidden driveways on both sides and, in all probability, not the "fast lane" traffic flow that Garner Road has. Hopefully, the seriousness of this much-needed four-way intersection will be recognized before it's too late.
David McMurry
Hartselle