CRASH: Prevent further accidents
Re: The collision on Highway 41 near Mullan, Tuesday, April 28.
Knowing the father of Nicole and living less than a half mile from the crash site, I decided to do an investigation.
Driving out of the parking lot of the gas station (headed west), I stopped at Highway 41 and looked to the left and then to the right. There was no one coming. I decided to look to the left again. Wow! A semi truck (18-wheeler) was traveling north (at a high rate of speed) about 200 feet south of my car. My first thought was, Why did I not see that the first time I looked? I then saw a power pole and a metal sign right in my line of vision of the big truck.
Yes, if you are close enough to a power pole, it will hide a semi truck. By the way, coming out of that parking lot, you cannot see the double yellow lines. You can’t see even one yellow line. All you see is one white line. That’s because of the difference in elevation. The street is several feet higher than the gas station lot (bad design).
Also, there is no “Right Turn Only” sign as you leave the station. I believe that alone would save many lives. I turned around and left the station on the north side and proceeded onto Mullan Avenue turning left (that can be dangerous itself), but what other way is there to leave? I turned left at the intersection onto Highway 41 heading south and as I passed the sign that had been blocking my view from the station, I looked back to read it. It was a Highlands Golf Course sign with an arrow pointing east. Folks, I’m not against golfing. Just against signs obstructing driver’s views. Maybe there’s a better place for that sign and light pole.
How many accidents occur at that very spot each year? I’ve seen at least four myself. Rather than being critical of a young driver, I would like to see more thought in roadway designs for future traffic problems.
Yes, there is a lot of traffic at that intersection and some are traveling way too fast. If there had been a sign in that lot stating “Right Turn Only,” I wouldn’t be writing this letter and Nicole would be sitting in church this week.
G.C. (CHUCK) ANDERSON
Post Falls