Dear Editor,

I would like to respond to your article, “County designates ATRIP projects.” The commissioners say they had a hard time making tough decisions. I don’t know why. It is the same roads that always get the money.

Hwy. 45 North has been resurfaced over five times in recent years. Steiner’s Store Road was resurfaced in 2003 to the tune of a million dollars. There is nothing wrong with Hwy. 62 that a bucket of tar and a bucket of slag wouldn’t fix. A b-52 bomber could light anywhere on it. All these roads have been well taken care of. It is a waste of taxpayer money to continue resurfacing roads that don’t need it. County Road 75 South has been resurfaced once since 1963 (the year it was built). Gravel and tar were poured on the road. There are no yellow lines.

When APAC resurfaced Hwy. 62 in 2003, it was very wet. I asked the engineer what he was going to do about APAC tearing this road up. He told me the commissioners had a meeting with APAC, and if they tore up any part of this road, they would fix it. I am still waiting for APAC to fix it. When it rains, it looks like a washboard. I asked Commissioner Hickman when APAC was going to fix this road. He told me that he wasn’t aware of any such meeting. It seems to me like someone has a credibility problem. I am asking that APAC not use 75 South and Bethel Church Road as shortcuts since there are no funds for these roads. Lowndes County would not let APAC use Hwy. 62 North.

What is the county going to do with the money it has been using to keep up these main lines? I am asking that 75 South be resurfaced. We pay taxes like everyone else and I don’t think it’s wrong to expect a little help from the county. We are tired of being left out on roadwork. We have taxation without representation.

I am asking the commissioners to ride these roads to be resurfaced to see if they need it. In the last 40 years, enough money has been spent on 45 North to four lane it to New York.

I want to ask a question. Has anyone ever tried to get any money for these less traveled roads? I thought that this money was for rural roads. Since it was left up to the commissioners to designate where the money went. I believe the commissioners could have used some on the lesser roads. Commissioner Hickman stated, “Everyone in Butler County deserves to have a good road to travel.” Commissioner Hickman, you need to check some of the roads in your district because I believe the same thing.

Thank you,

Nadine Bell