Letters to the editor, Sunday, Aug. 26

Viewpoints

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August 27, 2012

Letters to the editor, Sunday, Aug. 26

Anonymous CNHI The Weatherford Democrat Mon Aug 27, 2012, 08:00 AM CDT

— City paying now for construction that was put off

Dear editor,

It seems that the power structure that sees after the welfare of the good citizens of Weatherford is alive and well, and has been so for a great number of years. The first time I noticed this was in the mid- to late-1950s when the beautiful mud hole once known as Lake Weatherford was built. A water line was constructed from the city limits to the lake, went around the same, and back to the city limits, incorporating the water line and lake into the city. This was good, but a little crossroad on then-U.S. Highway 80-180 that gave access to the lake was not included, and today is known as Hudson Oaks. Then, a few short years later, part of the federal highway system was constructed, starting on the west side of Fort Worth, and going west to the state line at El Paso. Most of this highway, with a few exceptions in West Texas, has service roads, with the notable exception of the City of Weatherford. The service roads stop east of Weatherford and resume west of Weatherford. Why? Because everyone knows that businesses move to the bypasses to cater to the traveling public. Weatherford prevented this from happening for a time, but 40 years later the good citizens paid the price, several years of “catch up” construction of service roads. To compound the problem, the city has allowed new malls and a new high school to be constructed south of the interstate with no good access to either. Then, in the early 1990s someone in their wisdom decided that North Main needed to be upgraded that it would affect too many businesses on South Main and delayed the upgrade for the same until the present. Again, why? One of the big differences in the construction of North Main and South Main is that the Texas Department of Public Transportation oversaw the North Main renovation and I don’t know who is overseeing the South Main project. It is definitely not the T.D.P.T. As critical as South Main is to the traveling public, there is no overtime or after hours construction going on. The Ric Williamson Parkway is being delayed, partly because someone forgot to ask the federal government if the new road could be connected to their highway and because the State of Texas was a little tardy in placing traffic signals on Highway 180.

We all feel the pain of the merchants on South Main, some are nearly impossible to access because of the construction and it is entirely possible that some will fail. We are assured that construction is on time, with projected dates of completion given on a regular basis. It is hard to accept this with equipment sitting idle. School starts Monday and if the traveling public thinks things are bad now, wait until then.

I live south of Weatherford and have options. I can go to Granbury or Hudson Oaks. Both will appreciate my sales tax money. But a lot of folks do not have this choice, and I feel your pain.

Don Johnson,

Weatherford

Columnist should re-check facts

I think Mr. Kelly (“What do you think...,” Aug. 23 Viewpoints) needs to re-check his facts on fluorescent lamps and ballasts ... about lighting.

Billy Bruce,

Weatherford

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