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EDITOR:
I have two comments on the Feb. 27 article about the latest car crash on Sly Park road.
First, as a resident who has driven on Sly Park Rd for over 12 years, Ms. Ruth’s concerns over speed limits are well founded and not just based on her unfortunate experience. The bottom line is that there were two serious accidents that day, one fatal. The two-lane road is twisty, poorly banked on turns, has no shoulder or adequate, safe room for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and is well traveled by deer and other four-legged critters. It is a key route for logging trucks, school busses and tourists taking the scenic Mormon Emigrant Trail to Tahoe and those with RVs and boat trailers to Jenkinson’s Lake. Also, many streets and driveways accessing the road are steeply graded and don’t provide clear views of cross traffic. Posting lower speed limits seems to be the only reasonable way to inform all types of drivers of these hazardous conditions.
Second, I work with Ms. Ruth facilitating the El Dorado County-Placerville Parkinson’s Disease Support group. While we will miss her energetic participation in our next few meetings, the group will still meet as scheduled on the first Tuesday of each month, 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the El Dorado County Senior Center, 937 Spring St. Our next meeting is March 5.
The group’s purposes are to have those with PD and their caregivers share personal experiences and coping strategies in a supportive environment and to gain knowledge from experts. At these meetings we also enjoy the refreshments that are provided and the good company . Everyone is welcome.
THOMAS J. SCHULZ
Pollock Pines
The Mountain Democrat does not necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy
cookie65March 07, 2013 - 6:07 am
"The two-lane road is twisty, poorly banked on turns, has no shoulder or adequate, safe room for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and is well traveled by deer and other four-legged critters. It is a key route for logging trucks, school busses and tourists". You just described every road in El Dorado county. Many of the roads in the Sierra foothills are the original stage coach trails, some of them with no center line because they aren't wide enough for what the CHP calls "left of center". They are one way streets with two way traffic.
SHMarch 07, 2013 - 11:59 am
Seriously. I think he just wanted to get people's attention to plug his (very important) support group.
francescaduchamp@att.netMarch 07, 2013 - 12:52 pm
cookie--any thoughts heard about "fixing" these roads--before they raise the speed limits?
cookie65March 07, 2013 - 1:11 pm
Frances, I think these letters are about reducing the speed limits. Rarely are speed limits on rural roads ever increased. Most of the roads around here that now have solid double yellow lines didn't always. When I was a kid none of them did. The problem we have with "fixing" any of the roads is a function of union contracts over the years. We have reached a point where the obligations now consume all the money. In other words, by the time they are done paying salaries, pension and healthcare benny's there isn't any money left over for the roads. The little road I grew up on has been periodically patched and nothing more since the 60's. I just read something the other day about Caltrans "towplow", it a new piece of equipment that they spent a ton of money on and still doesn't operate do to mechanical issues. The real question is whether or not is was neccessary. http://www.kcra.com/news/local-news/news-sierra/Caltrans-new-tow-plow-still-a-no-show-in-snow/-/12970852/19192612/-/jsakrpz/-/index.html
francescaduchamp@att.netMarch 07, 2013 - 1:53 pm
thank you cookie...in your opinion...do you think it is odd that over the last few weeks we are hearing of more limits being raised on these old roads? just curious