By Roger Mitchell, Stevensville
Increasing population in the Bitterroot has created a situation which the town of Stevensville will have to address sooner or later—namely, traffic flow at the intersection of Eastside Hwy and Main Street. As it stands right now, it’s not intolerable, but will become a problem if it’s not taken care of.
Traffic coming from Stevi Cutoff Road onto Main Street, or vice versa, has right-of-way and is unimpeded. Traffic from Eastside Hwy and Buck Street has to stop and wait for a clear opening before accessing the main road. With heavier traffic, the waits at the stop signs are only going to become longer and longer, with the attendant frustration which comes from not being able to move for an extended period of time. I know. I’ve been there.
Fortunately, there is an easy solution. The Town could make the intersection a four-way stop in exactly the same manner as the intersection at Main and 3rd streets. Traffic moving in all directions would be required to stop, allowing any vehicle to safely enter the intersection without a long delay. In fact, the first one to stop would be the first one to move as soon as the intersection was cleared. No one, regardless of direction of travel, would have to wait for more than three other vehicles to pass before proceeding.
Very simple, very inexpensive solution to a potential problem. All of this would cost the taxpayers exactly two stop signs and the labor required to install them. This is forward thinking.
I encourage the town council to seriously consider this proposal. It is certain that something, at some point, will have to be done. Better to be pro-active about it than to wait until the options are limited to the “better of two evils.”