Lack of enforcement adds to danger

To the editor:

In reference to the article headlined “Borough assembly seeks state aid to improve dangerous intersection” on the front page of the Dec. 5 Frontiersman, I am replying because updating the intersection and Law enforcement is the complete answer.

I have driven throughout the intersection of Lucille Street and Seldon Road for more than 12 years now. It scares me every time I do. But doing all the changes described in the paper will only change the accident statistics a very small amount.

A hundred percent of the drivers on Seldon do not stop at the two-way stop sign. That seems to be common now at all intersections. They all stop at minimum a car length or more past the sign. This puts the front of the car almost in the intersection or at least right at the edge. They can’t see the tiny little “two-way” sign under the big stop sign.

Like the man in the article stated, “I thought it was a four-way stop because I just went through another four-way.”

He was inattentive, complacent and most likely stopped beyond the sign so he couldn’t see it is a two-way stop.

I have seen a woman in a blue Ford pickup blow through that intersection on Seldon doing at least 55 to 60 mph. I was going south on Lucille, about 50 feet from entering the intersection and death!

The greatest caution for me is people on cell phones at the Seldon stop sign. They generally tend to pull right out in front of me as I’m on Lucille just about to enter the intersection. Most of the time they don’t even look or realize I’m there, let alone that I just locked up my brakes and we almost died.

The Mat-Su Borough can do all the changes it wants, but enforcement is the greatest thing that will correct the problem. Park a trooper in the southwest tree-stump landfill area once in awhile and start writing tickets. That will help.

The intersection of Spruce and Lucille has a Wasilla officer park there once in awhile, and that has made a huge change. A reactionary force is not the answer. Reacting to accidents after the fact is wrong. Prevention by enforcing road laws is what will save lives and property. I don’t care how much is spent on that intersection, if it is not enforced, people are still going to blow through it, or stop in the middle, or ignorantly and inattentively enter that intersection. It’s just like the speed limit is 45 in town, but everyone drives 55 to 65 on the Parks Highway.

We are in great need of traffic officers to enforce the traffic laws, not have a small reactionary force to handle the aftermath of violators of our traffic laws. When Wasilla Officer Jentry Crain was a motorcycle traffic officer in town, the drivers’ speed and general demeanor was much improved. Yes, I did vote for road improvements; not because the high rate of accidents are the fault of the roads, because it is the drivers’ fault. It is because the roads are in such disrepair.

Jim Moberly

Wasilla