To the Editor:

I’m writing in response to Jeanette Pinson’s claim that the expenditure of money for the speed bumps in Rutledge was a “blatant misuse of taxpayer’s money.” Ms. Pinson gave no reason for her opinion nor did she make any suggestions for what would have been a better use of the money. It would have been enlightening to have heard both.
These speed humps (not bumps) are necessary. There has been a significant problem with vehicles speeding through the city limits on every feeder road and thoroughfare, including the immediate downtown historic district. Sheriff Markley has offered to help with the problem but even the presence of the sheriff has not reduced the speeding. Rutledge has a lot of youngsters who ride their bikes or walk to town to get to the park. Many of us have feared that one of the speeders on Fairplay or Main Street would hit these kids. There are many out-of-towners who ride their bikes through Rutledge and patronize the downtown businesses. We have tens of thousands of visitors to the State Park who use our streets and walk around downtown. Since the residents of Rutledge and all the other people who pass through have not been able to show self-restraint and follow the speed limits the speed humps are assisting them with this discipline. Now, if we could just find a way to get drivers to actually stop at the “stop barrel” and to drive the speed limit on the outer stretches of Dixie and Fairplay we would really be accomplishing something!

Joellen Artz
Rutledge
Via e-mail

Printed in the June 28, 2012 edition