November 13, 2004
Saturday

Both John and Hunter are absolutely correct about the dangerous intersection at the corner of Third and Jefferson. Even before the bypass was built, local officials recognized it was dangerous when they installed the downhill mirror. Unfortunately, the mirror doesn't do a particularly good job (cars appear farther away than they actually are) and in rainy, dark weather it is just about unusable.

Personally, I usually turn up Adams Street rather than Jefferson because it is a lot safer.

The city could make things a little safer at Jefferson and Third by installing a stop sign for downhill traffic. They did that at the Madison and Third intersection years ago and that makes similiarly difficult intersection a little easier to negotiate because you know that someone isn't going to blast through the intersection going downhill.

As to whether the designers of the bypass did consider effects on the neighborhood by building the bypass, they did. But it was another case of the needs of the "many" (people using the bypass) overruling the needs of the "few" (the residents). Oddly enough, by the time you come over the bypass and then enter into the several stop signs on Third Avenue on the way down to Tongass, it's not all that much quicker. But oh, what a lovely view!

Dave Kiffer
Ketchikan, AK - USA

Related Viewpoints:

RE: SAVING TIME MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH by Hunter Davis - Ketchikan, AK

SAVING TIME MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH by John Fraley - Ketchikan, AK

 

Write a Letter -------Read Letters

E-mail the Editor

Sitnews
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska