letter to the editor
St. John Ct.-Grigsby needs traffic help
As a former business process consultant, I still look for ways to find solutions when the status quo says “We Can’t Because.”
Our mayor (Farragut Mayor Ron Williams) doesn’t want a traffic light where Grigsby Chapel meets St. John Court. Darryl Smith (Town engineer) says the MUTCD deems it unnecessary.
We can build roundabouts for $475,000, but even after 25 years the residents and the school (St. John Neumann Catholic School) behind this only intersection for entry or exit cannot get a traffic light to improve our safety.
Perhaps this possible solution to the problem of turning left from St. John Court into oncoming traffic moving up the blind hill from Grigsby might find some traction:
• Use of convex mirrors is not included in the MUTCD, but countless communities and businesses buy about 200 of these a month just to see what is coming.
If we installed one on the side of the street where motorists are trying to go, they could see what is coming and reduce the need for the much sought-after traffic light.
The problem with the intersection is exacerbated by people traveling over 40 mph up the blind hill toward St. John Court.
The flashing lights during school hours do slow the traffic, but every driver that turns left on Grigsby has a different level of bravery.
If drivers could see what is coming, everyone would be safer. These mirrors are ubiquitous and easy to install.
I believe the reason that convex mirrors are not in the MUTCD is because its authors don’t consider them a viable solution on public streets for a number of reasons:
• Mirrors do not function well at night and can be difficult to see and lights from vehicles reflect in different directions.
• Mirrors do not work as well in poor weather conditions, including rain, snow and ice events.
• Mirrors have to be aligned properly and locked in place so they work as required.
While mirrors distort an image, they still let the driver that is looking at the image see that a vehicle is coming. That is their primary goal.
Traffic lights are better, but for whatever reason, our Town staff maintains a “no” to installing a convex mirror.
Perhaps the communities behind this problem intersection can come up with $100 and install one on their own (mirrors) to see if it helps. My in-laws installed one in Oak Ridge so they could get out of their drive on Robertsville Road.
Those career teachers died of old age. They were always able to see oncoming cars.
Kim Frasch,
Farragut
