I
read with interest Kathleen Stinson’s article in
the April 25 Desert Advocate regarding the proposed
study by MCDOT for the widening of New River Road.
It alarms me that this is being considered in light
of the fact that so many homes ingress/egress right
onto the road. There are 51 ingress/egresses between
Carefree Highway and Desert Hills Drive, for instance.
From Desert Hills Drive to the I‑17 frontage
road, there are likely over 100. To put in a highway,
where vehicles will speed, is a recipe for disaster.
I
am opposed to widening New River Road for the following
reasons:
New
River is a rural area. I want it to stay that way.
Adding
two lanes and a center median will be costly because
the county has granted so many home building permits
that are right on the road and many easements will
have to be purchased at great expense.
It
is dangerous to mix speed with so many driveways
that spill out right onto the road.
The
current speed limits are not enforced adequately;
once tragedies increase, then the county will add
traffic controls which will defeat the whole purpose
of the highway.
Building
a high‑speed highway will make it very unsafe
for pedestrians, bikers, ATV riders and equestrians
to cross the road to follow trails in the area.
The
loss of life that will happen as a result of putting
a high‑speed highway in a rural neighborhood
is unacceptable.
Surely
the engineers at MCDOT can find different routes
for traffic.
Sheila
A. Walsh
New
River
