By Los Alamos TaxpayerI read the column written by Mr. Harry Burgess for last Thursday’s Los Alamos Daily Post about the Safety issues of State Road 4.
This is the only neglected road within a 40-mile radius of Los Alamos. Everyone, including Los Alamos County officials, ignore it although the primary users of this road are residents of White Rock (LA County taxpayers) and Laboratory personnel whose employer pays a ton of taxes to Los Alamos County.
I agree with the observations made by Mr. Burgess. One of the design solutions is to double the size of the intersection with wider lanes and smooth transition lanes to and out of the truck route.
I would like to take this opportunity to bring to your attention another major safety issue of SR4, which costs a lot of money to the people of White Rock and all those who use the road from the truck road intersection to White Rock.
I have been a resident of Los Alamos County for the past 36 years. In all these years, no one put a coat of tar on the segment of SR4, from the intersection of truck road to White Rock. The vehicles that use this segment of the road are damaged and the owners have been paying for the neglect of all those responsible, especially the County. Our representatives to the State Assembly should take their responsibility to do something for the people of Los Alamos at the Capital as well. Our Congressman and Senators should also help.
Yes, I know the politics. The parties involved – the State, Santa Fe County, Pueblos and Los Alamos County whose taxpayers are the primary users of this road.
I had written many times to the County Engineer’s Office and so did a number of people I know who live in White Rock. We got the same “passing the buck” replies from the County engineers. The Pueblos who own the land don’t see any obligations to maintain this segment of the road. The State highways people I talked to think the rich Los Alamos County that uses this road should take the major role in the safety issues of this segment of SR4.
Yes, the Laboratory/DOE ought to take a major role in fixing the safety issues of this segment of SR4. The part of the road within the Lab property is well maintained and is one of the best roads in this area. I don’t think we can expect Santa Fe County to take a major role to fix these problems.
Dear Mr. Burgess: Why don’t you and the rest of the employees of the County realize that this road (courtesy of the State, Pueblos and Santa Fe County) was built for the primary use of a great segment of Los Alamos County taxpayers and the Laboratory? You ought to spend some of their taxes to fix all the safety issues of this road. If you properly approach the Laboratory/DOE, they will contribute as well.
Your waiting for divine intervention is not going to happen. Please find the resources and do the right thing for the people.
