Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Speaking out


In 14 years of living in the Wood River Valley, I have—for the most part—refrained from sounding off in this paper, thinking it wiser to work from within, by word of mouth, rather than engaging in what often times becomes circuitous letter banter. However, there are a couple issues I can no longer hold my tongue about, and I feel compelled to weigh in. Hopefully not coming off as a local whiner, I have one question, one suggestion and one strong comment.

My question is in regard to our current and longstanding postal situation. I am aware that home delivery is available in spots, but the status quo here is still what appears to me to be an antiquated, outdated system. Wouldn't it be wiser and more beneficial environmentally to have a few ecologically friendly postal vehicles on specified routes, versus all the cars in all the valley making their daily treks to a parking "cluster blank"? I have not researched the actual impact statistically, and I am not involved in local politics, but it seems like a logical question, and as a citizen I am humbly putting it forth.

My second topic is Highway 75, and a relatively easy fix that would greatly increase its safety. Given the numerous tragedies over the years involving rollovers and head-on collisions, I would like to suggest using some version of the Bott's dots, which are raised, rounded plastic, ceramic, or polyester domes that mark the lanes on every major road in California over 35 mph. They alert drivers with a "ka-thump" sound when they wander out of their lanes. I understand there might be a problem with snow removal equipment in the winter, and to that end, I have found out that in California at higher elevations, where they do not have rollover or head-on problems, they do divide any highway with speeds over 35 miles per hour. They use either a guardrail, a stretch of land, or on a simple two-lane road: a rough, raised, reflective, grooved cement divider, separating the lanes. These grooves are another possibility that serve the same purpose, whether on the shoulder or as a center divider. And I am certain they work in our weather conditions, as we have them now at the blinking light in the actual road. The whole "more lanes" debate aside, I think this could be a do-able, reasonable compromise for the time being. The aesthetics of a divided highway may not please some (although it can be executed quite tastefully), yet there is no denying it is more pleasing to look at than the carnage.

Lastly, speaking of lanes—going south on Highway 75 from the Elkhorn light to (approximately) near the bridge north of the hospital—there are two of them. Not only is it road rage-y and dangerous for left-laners to pull out, take up both lanes and attempt to block someone driving the speed limit in that right lane, it is illegal. That right lane is usable road that merges politely into the left lane. There is some misguided, self-righteous thing going on with this, so I checked with the Blaine County Sheriff's Office. I was told to report it the next time it happens. It is wrong. Please don't do it anymore.

Leslie Scarborough

Hailey




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