The West Virginia department of highway is proposing a plan which is sparking controversy to remove traffic lights from key intersections throughout the city of Follansbee.
Although these traffic lights are currently operating, the city says they still experience excessive speeding along Route 2 daily.
The lights included would be at the intersection of Main and State Street, the intersection of Main and Ohio Street, the intersection of Main and Raymond Street and also at the Coke plant entrance.
The idea of these lights being removed concerns Follansbee Mayor David Velegol.
“It’s really gonna cause a safety concern for our elderly who go across the street, whether its the post office or whether its the grocery store. But also for our children on the south end, the basketball court is on the south end. Taking that stop light away really puts those kids in a dangerous situation,” Velegol says.
With the thought of Route 2 becoming increasingly more difficult and hazardous to navigate, city council members have expressed their strong opposition to this proposal in a letter to the department of highways, mentioning their concerns about safety.
“Everybody signed the letter, our council, our city attorney, everyone signed the letter. We’re gonna send that letter down and we requested a meeting with the department of highways to go over our concerns,” Velegol says.
