For more than 26 years, I used the Alabama 20/Mitchell Boulevard intersection almost daily. During this time I have seen a few fender benders and have had the minor inconvenience of rerouting my trip maybe four or five times because of flooding under the bridge.

Several years ago, the state Department of Transportation held preliminary reviews concerning this intersection. I expressed my concerns that a light at this location would lead to deadly consequences and offered some alternatives. Should this state’s plan remain to place a traffic light here and with the steep incline off Court Street, during inclement weather there will certainly be accidents involving serious injuries — quite possibly fatalities. Large trucks traveling down Court Street cannot possibly stop in time for a traffic signal change.

If modifying traffic flow is because of flooding, then replace the bridge by raising it. If the bridge is unsafe, then replace it. If for traffic control, then patrol it more. However, putting a traffic light here is not the solution. Do we really need a traffic light on every corner?

This proposal would not seem so ludicrous if not for the state recently canceling plans to continue four-laning of U.S. 43 between Greenhill and the state line because of a “lack of funds.”

Would it not make more sense to put the Alabama 20/Mitchell Boulevard intersection change on hold until a more suitable design can be found and the funds diverted to the completion of U.S. 43?

VC Bearden

Muscle Shoals