Editorial: Don't let traffic delays drive you over the edge

Aug. 26, 2007

Frontiersman Editorial

Many of us find ourselves in a perpetual hurry. We rush to get the kids to school, rush to complete errands before hurrying to work, rush to the dry cleaners at lunch time and rush home for dinner, family time or that favorite television program.

Most of this darting about - from here to there, yonder and back - happens in the comfort and familiarity of our vehicles. The car, SUV or cab of the faithful pickup is a comforting, familiar place to be while running around town. What's neither familiar nor comfortable is when the rush is slowed to a crawl. With numerous road improvement projects underway around Wasilla and Palmer, and Thursday's opening of the Alaska State Fair, there are plenty of traffic monkey-wrenches for our daily harried routines.

Road rage never made a detour any less frustrating and impatience won't get you there any earlier.

With school back in session and our roads busier with visitors from all over Alaska for the fair, local drivers making their way around Wasilla and Palmer should expect and plan for delays, detours and to watch out for the other guy, who may not be so careful. Exercise patience and be extra cautious on the road. If it helps, make sure your vehicle is equipped with a bottle of water and your favorite CD to take the edge off. If toting young children, keep an extra bag of toys and goodies to keep them placated and avoid adding to the stress of prolonged traffic delays.

But, if you simply have to get from Point A to Point B in record time no matter the conditions, perhaps the threat of law enforcement interceding on your commute will curb that impatience. With the 2007 Alaska State Fair in full swing, Alaska State Troopers have a special 12-trooper contingent performing increased traffic patrols around the area, as well as the AST's helicopter, Helo One.

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