December 21, 2005
Wednesday PM

In response to Ms. Filyaw's letter, I thought other folks who haven't seen the DOT guys out on the roads might like to know that they've been out there a lot. I've seen them out on both North and South Tongass Highways in the past couple of months. I followed one truck spraying mag chloride for about eight miles during the afternoon the other day, and when I turned off, he kept on going, so I know he continued treating the road past where I live. I live on a secondary road off North Tongass Highway, and watched a truck go by our house the other night after about nine p.m., and I've heard them go by in the wee early hours of the morning as well. So, not only are the DOT crew out during normal working hours, they've been coming out at any hour when the roads need treating, and they're not just doing the main highways. I appreciate their efforts.

I agree with Ms. Filyaw that the section of road she mentioned needs guard rails, although it might be that the state is already aware of that and has plans to put them in. The grass that was hydro-sprayed on there gets so tall, it can actually hide animals and small children from the view of drivers. I was driving past the Mud Bight corner one day in October and thinking about how thick and tall the grass had gotten, and how easy it would be for a dog or a deer to stand there and be obscured, when a big black lab jumped right out of it and ran across the road in front of me. If I hadn't been looking right at the spot and already thinking about it, I might have hit it, or caused an accident in swerving to avoid it, because I sure couldn't see it standing there in the grass. It's frightening to think what might have happened had a child been with it, and run out behind it.

It's a quick call to the local DOT to ask questions regarding the road, and I'm sure any concerned locals who call will get a quick and courteous response.

Suzan Thompson
Ketchikan, AK - USA

About: Suzan Thompson was born in Ketchikan and has family spread out from one end of the island to the other. She says, "I have to drive these roads a lot!"

Related Viewpoint:

Accidents By Aleisha Filyaw - Ketchikan, AK - USA

 

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