DALTON: Traffic trouble ahead

In response to The Press article of Jan. 26 titled “A road runs through it.” I was at the Jan. 24 meeting at Dalton Gardens City Hall. I observed our mayor was present and two city council members were also present at the completely packed house with very concerned residents of Dalton about this unpopular Fourth Street project.

Mr. Matt Gillis, representing Welch Comer Engineers, gave a 10- to 15-minute introduction of the pending project, which he was hired to do, and did well. When it came to questions and answers, the residents asked questions as a group so all could hear. Matt Gillis answered to the best of his knowledge but a lot of questions were meant for our city officials.

I was disappointed that our mayor left the building as soon as the meeting was open to questions and answers and the two Dalton council members did not help Matt with answers about funding and why create something that will bring more traffic through our community of Dalton. This proposed project would create more road wear that we as residents have to pay for because non-residents of Dalton are using our section of Fourth Street along with 15th Street as a thoroughfare instead of using U.S. 95 or the newly improved Government Way.

It is my understanding that once we use the federal grant for the construction, that grant dictates measures and regulations that will have our sub-rural community classified as urban and in my opinion will change our small rural community atmosphere, safety and quality of life.

I plead with all residents of Dalton Gardens to go online to daltongardens.govoffice.com and voice your opinion by filling out the traffic survey on the right-hand side of the page. Please come to the City Council meetings on the first Thursday of every month, 6 p.m. at City Hall.

RAY CRAFT

Dalton Gardens