To the Editor:
This is a response to an April 24 Fulda Free Press article concerning the J-turn construction to commence April 29, subtitled: “Project to improve safety at high-crash intersections.” To the Minnesota Department of Transportation and all involved in bringing the J-turn to pass: Whom do you think you’re fooling? We have seen the J-turn project illustrated in a recent edition of the Tri County News. My husband and I agree that in all our travels, we’ve never seen anything so absurd.
You state that safety will be improved. How? By closing off Highway 60 for a day so that motorists can practice and master driving semis, farm equipment, and what have you on a “closed course”? Any thoroughfare complicated enough to require practice and training of its users for a day is most assuredly not about safety for the general public. What happens for the many thousands of motorists, passing through, who use the highway and intersections without benefit of practice on how to navigate one’s way through the maze? Clearly, there are many, many folks besides locals who need to access County Roads 24, 9, and 43.
In keeping with unanswered questions, the article fails to mention exactly who is in favor of this plan (besides masterminds at MN DOT) and how it came to be. The mentioned “meetings at various venues with area residents” doesn’t quite cut it. Notably, the opportunity to talk with Minnesota Department of Transportation staff on April 25 is meaningless when this project is cut and dried and ready to be implemented on April 29.
All along, your meetings were not intended to hear the concerns and suggestions of the people, but instead to tell us what you propose to do and when it will happen. Please do not insult us in this way.
I know that people who will be most affected by this J-turn have for years made reasonable alternative suggestions, including: Significantly reducing the speed limit at dangerous intersections, placing visible signs and flashing lights at intersections, and keeping roadsides cleanly mowed and clear of obstruction at all times. These measures would have been effective and certainly less costly than the ridiculous business set to begin.
Many will always grieve for precious lives that were lost at these hazardous intersections and will continue to fear for loved ones who daily travel these roads, which complicated by J-turns will be more confusing and dangerous. I believe Minnesotans have been bamboozled to the tune of $3,444,862 for construction, plus who knows how many more million to developers of this ill-advised plan.
Carolyn Behr
7556 State Route 104
Oswego, New York
