Road Project Costly and Unnecessary

As of Wednesday, August 15, 2012

I live in Vass on N.C. 690 (Lobelia Road). Recently a stretch this road was closed down for two months to supposedly straighten out a dangerous curve that was the site of many accidents. All of the residents were inconvenienced and had to use detours to get to and from our houses.

This was an expensive and time-consuming road project that was not needed. To simply solve the problem, all that needed to be done was lower the speed limit and enforce it.

Every car that goes past my house is exceeding the speed limit. Last week the road reopened, and you could not tell that anything had been done to change the “curve.” This was a total waste of taxpayer and county money.

If the police did radar on a regular basis, the town and county would make a fortune on speeding fines, probably even surpassing what was spent on this senseless construction project. It is not the curves in the road causing the accidents; it the drivers going too fast.

Wendy Hanks

Vass

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skylinefirepest 9 months, 1 week ago

Wendy, the one far turn is a little better as is the intersection on 24-27 at five points. Hopefully we'll not have the wrecks so often now but only time will tell. Could be they'll just hit the metal posts that much harder! I do feel that it was closed for several days longer than necessary. The paint was down and the grass was planted while we were still having wrecks on White Rock. But a lower speed limit is almost never the answer...many studies show that people will drive at a comfortable speed regardless of the posted limits.

FightFireWithFire 9 months ago

There will never be enough enforcement to prevent people from speeding, running stop sign/red lights, etc. People in this country have learned to take the gamble, because usually they "win". If you noticed the way some people's children behave in public these days, it is because there are no longer CONSEQUENCES for them acting out in public. I see children running through grocery stores like they are playgrounds, banging carts into everything (on purpose), damn near knocking people over, hollering and generally cutting up. Most folks from my generation can probably agree, the slippery slope is getting steeper every day......

Courseaire 9 months ago

It's amazing how well speed lmit signs work. I'll bet they even had a "curve ahead" sign.

skylinefirepest 9 months ago

Courseaire...yeah, the last accident we had there prior to the construction was a motorcyclist that ran into one of the curve signs!!

JD 9 months ago

motorcyclist that ran into one of the curve signs!!

I do love some Darwin Awards moments.

I wouldn't mind speeders thinning themselves out as long as they didn't take someone else with them when they run the sign.

babiehop 9 months ago

The flattened signs I've seen looked like they hardly did anything to slow down the vehicles that struck them.

skylinefirepest 9 months ago

Babie, yeah, most of them just scrape wiring and brake lines and paint and plastic grill parts and such and then keep on going. But a motorcycle doesn't offer quite the protection that even a smart car does!

babiehop 9 months ago

One of the most incredible things I have ever seen was years ago on that road. There were emergency vehicles there, but I didn't spot the wreck until I looked into the woods and saw a car suspended in the trees where it had wedged snuggly, another acute case of severe velocity. I was glad I disregarded the detour signs this past Saturday, the road was in fact open. Sadly, whatever improvements were made will do little to offset stupidity.

FightFireWithFire 9 months ago

Babie, you hit the nail in the head. A friend once told me something similar. His exact words were "You can't legislate stupidity". Not only was he right, but it doesn't work, regardless. There are bad wrecks all along 690 due to speed and alcohol. The thought that straightening the road will stop accidents is ludicrous. If anything, a fairly straight road allows drivers to gain more speed.

jed 9 months ago

At least the family who lives in the house on the new curve with the metal i-beams protecting them from the last car that went through their house can sleep more soundly. What ever makes it a little safer, works. Oh and by the way, I've traveled this road for 17 yrs and the curve is much more easier to manuver, even on my motorcycle. HAVE A NICE DAY :) WORRY MORE ABOUT WHAT YOUR PRESIDENT IS NOT DOING !!