What does it take?
When a long-standing traffic light at the corner of Church and Main streets in Roanoke needed replacing, the Alabama Department of Transportation decided the amount of traffic at that intersection did not warrant the expense.
This was before the old Skinner Furniture building was removed and visibility for those pulling onto Main was nearly impossible. When a large SUV was parked diagonally in front of the Skinner building, visibility to the left was impossible. Safety was not the deciding factor, though. Traffic volume was.
A few years later the same thing happened in Wedowee. Despite the testimony of those who actually live there and must navigate the streets on a daily basis, the decision was made elsewhere to not replace the antiquated traffic lights that had long been in place. As a result of this decision downtown traffic flow is both confusing and dangerous.
A spectacular example of this came yesterday morning when a vehicle trying to cross the divided main street from Hwy. 48 was broadsided by a car traveling north through town, flipping it over and injuring four people. Two pedestrians have been struck at that same intersection on different occasions, one sustaining injuries that led to her death.
According to Mayor Tim Coe, the town has been trying to get a light there for the past 20 years, but because state highways are involved, it’s not the town’s decision. The mayor points out that along the entire length of Hwy. 431, this is the only intersection with a state highway within municipal limits that does not have a traffic light. He wonders what it takes to get attention for this problem; does someone have to die first?
Well, no, because someone has and nothing has changed. In fact, the problem has only gotten worse with gravel trucks being routed along the state highways, adding to the school traffic that must negotiate this dangerous intersection. And it’s directly in front of Wedowee Hospital, which is seeing an increase in traffic due to the recent closing of Randolph Medical Center.
Maybe, though, this latest accident, which easily could have resulted in a fatality, will attract someone’s attention. A new administration is in place in Montgomery, and even though budgets are being slashed roads are still being worked. Putting up a lone traffic light is not about the money; it’s about someone who can make this decision realizing the need and the urgency for one in this location.
Anyone concerned about this should use the photo and comments contained in this issue of The Leader to contact anew our state representatives (Sen. Gerald Dial and Rep. Richard Laird) as well as officials in the Department of Transportation and the Governor’s Office to make sure they can’t say they weren’t warned if the next accident that occurs here does cost a life.
