To the Editor:

I would like to offer an alternate view about the widening project. It would seem that cronyism is alive and well in (Little) Washington. From what I have gathered from your reports and the NCDOT, around 20,000 vehicles drive on 15th Street per day. The DOT is willing to spend an enormous amount of money to provide a safer experience for those drivers, pointing out that this road experiences one and a half times the average crash rate.

This project is opposed by a tiny number of citizens compared to the people who use the street — 20,000 per day versus 50? That’s .0025 percent. Yes, less than the typical 1 percent of usual elite culprits. One of the less than 1 percent crowd suggested it might cost him a parking space. Another was about visibility for his business. Yet another doesn’t live here, but is from New Hampshire. Isn’t it wonderful when people up north take an interest in Washington?

To be clear, an infrastructure project benefitting the thousands of hard-working people of Washington and Beaufort County is being stalled by a small group of liberal, elite property owners.

This is exactly why Trump was elected — pure cronyism at the expense of the American workers who travel this road daily so they can support their families. I often travel 15th Street and have witnessed many crashes and have assisted in helping the victims.

I would certainly encourage anyone with car damage, an emergency room bill they can’t pay, a helicopter ride to Vidant they can’t pay, a funeral bill they can’t afford, a home they may lose because the bread-winner can no longer work resulting from an accident on 15th Street to demand restitution from the Washington City Council.
These costs are real in Beaufort County. I’m not sure about New Hampshire. Mr. Mercer finds these concerns “ludicrous.”

Maybe we can get a message to Mr. Trump — I’m sure he would take an active interest in this obvious neglect of the American worker.
Matt Harrup
Washington