Gravel Trucks a Problem

To the Editor:

Gravel trucks are a problem in Fayetteville, as detailed in a news story last week. I sat on the square and counted eight trucks (five going one way and three going the other) in 10 minutes at 11:40 a.m. on a Friday. More truck problems on Highways 159 and 237 where there are a number of businesses, neighborhoods, homes and driveways very close to the highways: Rutersville, Oldenburg, Warrenton. The highways cut right through the middle of Round Top and Fayetteville. It is frightening to see bicyclists trying to negotiate the more narrow roads of 159 and 237 with about a foot of paved shoulder on one or both sides of the road (as opposed to North 77).

Dedicated truck routes certainly will make travel safer and will help to preserve the history and spirit of the small towns in this area. Getting help from the state highway department, I imagine, will take time.

Perhaps the town of Fayetteville should hire a couple of parttime retired police officers or justices of the peace to man the roads in Fayetteville at the critical hours. Hopefully, the officers would have the ability to stop the trucks and check out the drivers’ licenses, the registrations, the license plates on a handheld computer…. every time they pass through the town during the day. Perhaps they should check all the tires to see they are properly inflated for safety on their roads….every time they pass through Fayetteville. I am not a lawyer; so, I don’t know what is the law; however, it seems people living in a town should be allowed to have some say about the safety of their roads. You get my point? The trucks won’t come your way if it costs them time. Time is money.

Carol Kelly La Grange