By HDN staff
Change is different and sometimes just down-right impossible to accept.
But the Highway 2 West construction is one change we should all welcome. Havre needs this new interchange and widened road entering the western end of town. The widened highway will allow safer and smoother access to local merchants and our community.
And the detour is not really that inconvenient. One only needs to attempt traversing 10th and 9th avenues south in Great Falls to know what frustration is all about. Compared to the Great Falls project, we should be doubly appreciative for our manageable bypass.
We do have some concerns about the traffic on the bypass and some of the intersections.
Winter is coming and on many days vehicles have been known to slide down the hill and through the intersection at 16th Avenue West and Second Street West maybe some serious intersection intervention needs to be assessed now. We hope the hills will be sanded, but the increased traffic on this road warrants, in our opinion, a three-way stop to control not only the intersections, but to slow traffic speed.
The highway patrol has been very diligent at keeping the number of speeders down, but people get frustrated, speed up, and take unnecessary chances. Lets remember the speed limit is 35 mph in the construction designated zones and fines double for violators.
Drive smart and safe. When the construction is finished next year, well all be very happy and alive.
