Our View

The perils of traveling our rundown roads

One would think that with all the wonderful improvements being tossed around West Memphis and the tax dollars being spent fixing and repaving a list of city streets that someone would do something about the railroad crossings that you almost have to come to a complete stop to cross and the horrible condition of Seventh Street near the interstate.

We would have thought that as long as these deplorable road conditions have existed that someone with some clout would have managed to get the ball rolling and get these vehicle damaging road issues fixed.

The real joke about all this is the fact that not too long ago so-called repairs were made to a couple of crossings only to make them worse than they were before.

Let’s take for example the railroad crossing on the south service road and Missouri Street. Anyone who travels that road knows perfectly well crossing those railroad tracts has gotten progressively worse. Let’s face it, the condition of the crossing is so bad that it is impossible to cross without almost coming to a slow crawl.

And, what about the railroad crossing on Seventh Street just north of the old Riggs building? It too is needing serious attention causing motorists to also slow down to prevent wheel and suspension issues.

Just north of there we have the 10-Mile Bayou bridge.

Anyone familiar with that route will confirm the fact that the bridge appears to be sinking and causing motorists to slow down to prevent vehicle damage.

Oh, we’re not quit done folks. Let’s talk about the once smooth crossing on Highway 77 just north of Afco Road. Anyone traveling that stretch of highway knows fully well that before some outfit messed with that crossing it was smooth going but now it is a bone rattling experiencing.

Bear in mind all these troubled spots are within the city limits of West Memphis.

There is one other troubled spot that needs to be brought up and that is the railroad crossing on College Boulevard by Hedger Brothers Concrete. Let’s admit that this troubled spot is also a shake, rattle and roll experience leaving us all shock up if we don’t slow down and cross with caution.

Let’s remind ourselves that road conditions in Arkansas have been a major concern among our politicians in Little Rock, especially Gov. Asa Hutchinson who spearhead the successful effort to raise our gasoline and diesel taxes to stop the whining come from the bureaucrats within the so-called financially strapped Arkansas Highway Department.

We would think that with all the positive upgrades and attention being given to improve our cities and our roads someone, just someone would please fix these darn railroad crossings and annoying road problems.

Just maybe if more of us would start to complain someone, somewhere will fix these road problems in West Memphis and Crittenden County for the sake of our vehicles.