Mara Mullins: I didn’t vote for new roads, just to fix the ones we already have

I was extremely disappointed to read in the article “Plan for Highway 132 bypass west of downtown revs up” (Front page, Jan. 29) that officials are “Buoyed by approval in November of a transportation tax – with an anticipated influx of new road money – leaders might build all four lanes at once for about $214 million.”

Why am I disappointed? Because I voted for the road tax, as I am guessing that most of those who voted for it, solely to ensure money to fix the roads – not to build new projects. I voted for the tax to repave roads like Judith Lane and Gayle Avenue and all those neighborhood streets that have been neglected and have had futile attempts at patching for years. To repave main roads like Oakdale Road between Sylvan and Mable and even Briggsmore where they filled in the cracks with lines of tar. (Which only succeeds in blinding drivers when the sunlight is reflected off those lines.) Please use the money to fix the roads, not start new projects that will probably have to be redone ala Pelandale overpass.

This story was originally published January 31, 2017 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Mara Mullins: I didn’t vote for new roads, just to fix the ones we already have."