Published: February 03, 2006 02:16 pm            

All torn up over College Street

February 03, 2006 — I know this is inconsequential in the grand scheme of events and major happenings around Somerset and Pulaski County ... but I have a complaint.

Before I throw my gripe out there, I first want to commend the City of Somerset for the work they are doing on College Street. I think it will make the street much nicer and it will be great when the work of narrowing the road, landscaping and adding ornamental lamposts lining the street gets done, but it’s a mess right now.

My question or complaint is, why are both sides of the road on the biggest part of College Street torn up at the same time? Is there a purpose? If there is a reason for this, I’d love to know it.

With both sides of the street torn up, it really can inconvenience people around the community.

I know right now there probably aren’t as many walkers using the sidewalks around town, whether it be for exercise or children who live in town and walk to school, but there are those, even though it may be a few, who still use the sidewalks.

And if you like to get out and walk or run like I do, you wouldn’t think one street would make that much of a difference, but somehow it does. Often times I go up College Street and back down Main Street or vice versa, but I just can’t do that now. I can cut up Maple Street, but the street isn’t in as good condition after you get so far as what College Street was before. I know there are many other streets in Somerset, but at the time I’m trying to do this it, just doesn’t work out well to get to them.

So for me, the one street being torn up is kind of frustrating.

In about six weeks or so, the weather will be getting warmer. I know once the weather warms up lots of people like to get outside and they tend to the sidewalks. I don’t think the street will be done by spring or even summer, with a nine-month time period being given, as the time period that motorists and residents can expect traffic delays and inconveniences.

With both sides of the sidewalk no longer there and only dirt on a major portion of the street, what are those people supposed to do? I know some people can avoid the street, but for those who live there and just want to get to another street, should they get in their car and park somewhere else or take a chance and stay on the side of the road, which could be dangerous, depending upon the motorists?

Some people may walk in Oaklawn subdivision, and at this point it is nearly impossible to get there without being on the side of the road for at least a while.

Then there are the students who normally walk to school or home from school — How is this affecting them? Are they now being asked to ride the bus home or did officials check to see if there were students going north on College Street before they started tearing up both sides of the street?

Hopefully there is an easy answer to all these questions, and a plan that I just don’t know about. Otherwise, I hope that at least one section of the sidewalk will be finished quickly and that is why both have been dug up at the same time.

I’ll be crossing my fingers that construction isn’t slowed down for any reason, so I along with everyone else in town can enjoy those new sidewalks and the new lights.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.