Opinion:
Urges creative problem-solving for road problems

I attended the meeting of the Carroll County Commissioners on May 7, and I left there feeling very disheartened about how our local government functions. First I want to clarify a statement that was written in the May 9, edition of the Carroll County Comet. The statement said, "Amid verbal protests from local residents, which at times included shouting ..." the shouting did not come from me. There was some shouting from a commissioner with some gentlemen in the crowd.

I went to the meeting because the road that I live on has been taken back to gravel. This is a road, which has been blacktopped for 45 years. The list of roads to be resurfaced was presented. County Road 100 South was not on the list. I know that numerous people who live on 100 South and others who travel this road frequently called the commissioners requesting that it be resurfaced. The "lip service" of the commissioners doesn't match their actions. The current road supervisor told me that the roads to be resurfaced would be determined by the commissioners at this meeting, but it was just a ''rubber stamping" of what was presented by the former engineer. The bulk of the money ($609,000) will be spent on five roads using cold mix asphalt and HAC. Nine roads are scheduled for chip and seal at a cost of $208,250. These figures do not include the money that will be spent to make 600 S. a heavy-duty road nor the $475,000 that will be saved for CR 225E. I noticed in the poll of citizens in this newspaper about whether to restore by rebuilding or by chip and sealing that 60% of the people voted for chip and sealing and 40% voted for rebuilding. My question to you is this, "Are your county highway supervisor and the commissioners doing what their constituents want?"

After the former supervisor's presentation, 1 asked him why 42% of the hard surface roads that have been returned to gravel are in just two townships. The list that I got from the county highway garage had 19 roads scheduled to be ground. Four of them were in Carrollton Township and four of them were in Burlington Township. I found this a little inequitable since there are 14 townships in Carroll County. Mr. Awwad didn't give me a direct answer, but told me they didn't do things by townships. The new highway head stated that the reason the roads are being turned back to gravel is because they are unsafe. I ask those of you who are living on gravel roads, or who have lived on gravel roads, to reflect on how safe you think they are. I still have scars from bicycle wrecks that I incurred as a child. I lost a sister in an accident at the intersection of two gravel roads when the two vehicles couldn't stop and collided. Three people were killed in this accident. Human error along with loose gravel were the factors. I have had other citizens relate to me accidents that they have had on gravel roads because of loose gravel.

The plan that was presented, and the one that our officials are following, calls for just a few blacktopped roads in the county, and turning the rest of them back to gravel. Perhaps your road will be on the list next year! If you have been apathetic, as I have been through the years, about getting involved, now is the time to become proactive! We were also told that in the long run these thick, very fine roads would be cheaper overall. My response to this is, "Won't a Rolls Royce deteriorate if it doesn't have proper maintenance?" Perhaps the rationale for the plan that has been proposed is faulty. When we used to have a sequential pattern for chipping and sealing the roads by townships, our hard surfaced roads were maintained. It has been many years since 100 South has had any maintenance other than filling potholes. It was when we began the idea of having just a few main artery roads, that the roads deteriorated all over the county. At this meeting it was also stated that the highway department's goal was to ''build a transportation network to move goods and services." The important factor that has been omitted is PEOPLE. Our politicians and public service workers seem to forget their job is to serve people as well as provide necessary services.

When you talk with the commissioners, the only thing you hear is that they don't have the money to keep up the hard-surfaced roads. It's easy to cry we have no money, but why don't they try some creative problem solving? Maybe they should do a self-analysis of where the errors happened that allowed the roads to become so deplorable. Have we always spent the road money available wisely? When we chip and seal a road, do we do it the cheapest way possible or do we put a heavy enough coat on it so it will last a few years? Have we always used our manpower efficiently or did we have our employees fill one pothole and leave three unfilled? (When we did this, we had to use more gasoline and labor hours to send them back several times on just one road.) Did we cut back the ditches to save the blacktops? This took money for gasoline and labor hours. (100 South was one of the first roads to have the ditches cut deeper. If this procedure really worked, why was the road ground three years later?) Each commissioner needs to look at what has been done since he was elected and determine if the roads are better than when he was elected. If they are, you deserve a pat on the back. If not, you should be held accountable.

I have been told that since we don't have enough money that we should have the County Council enact a new tax for the roads. Any new taxes should be based on previous performance. So why would we enact another tax just to make a few fine artery roads and turn everything else back to gravel?

One commissioner in a telephone conversation told me that the gravel roads were some of the best in Carroll County. I concluded from this that since we all learn best by example, why don't the commissioners and road superintendent set an example for us and have their roads ground into gravel? If gravel roads are so wonderful, the commissioners and road superintendent should set the standard for us all and be first. When all of their roads are gravel, then, and only then, will their rationale be believable!

I ask you to call your commissioners, keep calling them, and tell them how you feel about having your road turned to gravel. Let them know what you want done. If your road hasn't been ground yet, how will you feel when it happens?
Frances Flora
            Flora