Hazards On The Highway

To the Editor:

That picture of the smashed VW Beetle that hit a tractor trailer truck in Botsford on Route 25 last week should be published once a week to remind everyone in Newtown that this will happen again and again because cars and tractor trailers don’t belong on a narrow, hilly road that goes through town and is used by seniors and moms with kids doing their chores and truck drivers “on a mission” – going too fast and unable to brake quickly.

Look at the Merritt  – it’s too narrow and hilly for trucks. (Hint, hint.) At least there are two lanes North and South and frequent breakdown lanes, which translates as a safety zone when a truck or a car is coming at you! There’s often nowhere to go on 25 when  you’re faced with an obstacle.

Also, I’m so happy to see a downturn in the economy because maybe the building of new houses will stop for awhile. Maybe the town officials should be pro-active in this matter and call for a moratorium in building until the roads can handle more traffic. That would be the smart and safe thing to do. The proposed 234 condo units in Hawleyville and Taunton Lake will greatly impact the traffic congestion. That’s at least 234 cars and if there are two adults per unit – the potential of 468 cars!

I am aware my advice is not anything new, but I believe it warrants a repeated reminder due to the seriousness of traffic nightmares to come.

J. Barnhart

54 Brushy Hill Road, Newtown                           February 28, 2001