Washington Road traffic worsened by lack of secondary access routes

Editor:

Reese Riba's Feb. 20 letter, "Washington Road medians aren't the real problem," hit the nail right on the head. If the county doesn't plan ahead for the inevitable growth in Evans, it will turn into the ugly, snarled mess that is Martinez.

But even Martinez is easier to get around in because there is almost always a legitimate alternate route from point A to point B.

Not so in Evans. Recently, leaving the Evans Firehouse Subs, I took the cross-parking lot route through the Evans Diner, the car wash and the gas station to get to the alley behind Arby's that cuts over to Ronald Reagan Drive, all because I knew how fruitless it would be to get behind the three cars attempting to turn left on Washington amidst the Saturday afternoon traffic.

It is not the median that prevents me from patronizing certain businesses; it is the traffic on Washington Road and the desire to avoid left turns without a light because there are no alternative access routes.

Look at the Target shopping center area off Wheeler as an example. It's not the greatest, but it works. I can get from any one store to any other without having to make a dangerous turn.

And Washington road is not the only traffic problem. Woe to the driver who wants to turn left on North Belair from Ronald Reagan Drive at rush hour.

It's not that we need an expensive traffic light there. Just putting up stop signs would have solved the problem that led to my son's accident, where I myself have avoided numerous near-collisions.

Joe Fausnight

Evans