Slow down and rethink road expansion

To the Editor: It is my understanding that they wish to make Sparta-Newton Road a four-lane road, two lanes in each direction, with jug-handles and an increased speed to reduce the traffic and the accidents that occur on this road. I do not understand how making the road a copy of Route 15 is going to resolve this. One, Route 15 still has accidents and traffic jams. Two, traffic is not what causes accidents, people do, and three, increasing the legal speed limit just allows a lot of people to go even faster. For instance, if the limit is 55 mph, people will and do 65 or more. I believe that having turning lanes and/or jug-handles is a great idea but with them must come “no turn on red” regulations, and you cant have left turns in at the same point as left turns out. People turning in are not courteous to people turning out, forcing people turning out to force their way through two lanes of traffic when they see a minimum chance to get out. When I was taught to drive, I was always taught that if you hit someone in the rear end you are at fault, not the road you are driving on. Sparta-Newton Road has a lot of residential homes and streets that enter on to it. Allowing people who do not even live in the area to go even faster, and giving them more lanes to avoid a possible alternate route to get to Route 15 or whereever, is not fair to the local people. I have lived here for 10 years and travel this road at all different times, and yes, the morning and evening commutes are tough, as they are everywhere. Route 80 is four lanes in each direction: Should we make it eight? At one time, not too long ago, a part of Sparta-Newton Road was two lanes in one direction on the northbound side and it did not decrease accidents or speeding. As I remember it, people were going faster and that was one reason it was reduced to one lane. I believe better routing and signage are needed, not more lanes and faster speed limits. We all have to live here. I believe making the road more of a highway will make commuters happier, but it is going to make locals angry and put them in more dangerous conditions. Please “slow down” and think things through. Paul Moran Sparta