This letter is in response to the letter from David Abplanalp, March 30, regarding the widening of Front Street on Jones Flats, Beaver Dam.

Mr. Abplanalp is correct when he says about 500 cars per day travel Front Street. He is also correct when he states that everyone going in and out of Jones Flats has to travel Front Street. Front Street is the only ingress and egress here and yet they keep building more homes without an alternate route in and out. Why isn’t Mr. Abplanalp petitioning about this?

If the BLM property across from Front Street catches fire, we will all fry trying to get out on one road. We have no fire hydrants on Jones Flats. Why isn’t he petitioning about this?

Mr. Abplanalp DOES NOT live on Front Street. He lives at the far corner of Jones Flats and has virtually no traffic going by his residence. I, however, do live on Front Street. Cars travel down this residential road, speed limit 25mph, at speeds of 35 to 65mph.

On Sunday, when people are late for church, it is a 50mph parade passed my house.

I have invited Mr. Abplanalp and anyone else from Jones Flats to come sit on my front deck in the morning, when everyone is late for work, and count the cars speeding down Front Street in front of my house. I have counted over 120 cars exceeding the speed limit in the morning between 5:30 and 7:30am. The same is true when people get off work in the evening. It starts again at 10:30pm until after midnight.

My neighbor’s chain link fence, on the corner, has been mowed down three times in four years by cars going too fast to make the corner. One truck went completely through his fence dragging it through his entire front yard and out his driveway.

We have had six rollover accidents on Virgin Acre Blvd. all due to excessive speed. But, Mr. Abplanalp wouldn’t know this. He’s tucked away in his quiet little corner at the far end of Jones Flats where there is no traffic.

I, also, have had to put up with loud ATV’s, side-by-sides and dirt bikes speeding by on an hourly basis, especially when the snowbirds are here. I put up with motorhomes, trucks pulling 5th wheels and gravel trucks shaking the windows in my home.

I have called Mohave County sheriff’s office numerous times about these speeders only to be told that Virgin Acre Blvd. and Front Street are private roads and the sheriff has no jurisdiction.

I DO NOT have a problem with the expansion of Front Street. I have a problem with speeding cars. The smoother and wider the road, the faster these speeders with drive. It’s a proven fact.

If you want Front Street widened, put in several ‘speed’ bumps the length of the road and we will all be happy. Had Mr. Abplanalp bothered to speak to me about it, he would know why I am opposed. But, he chose to mention me as being opposed due to an “illegal” pet cemetery rather than speaking to me personally and learning why I am against this widening without speed bumps.

And, yes, I am one of the two people Mr. Abplanalp mentioned as having “illegal” pet cemeteries on BLM ground. It is not illegal to bury animals on BLM ground. You cannot, however, erect a permanent memorial, which I have not. I was given this information by a BLM officer many years ago when I started burying animals there. A BLM officer confirmed this on Monday, March 26th, 2017.

However, for Mr. Abplanalp’s information, these are not my pets I have buried there. My pets are confined to my home and yard. These are animals I have found crushed and mangled in the road in front of my house by speeding motorists, cats, dogs, rabbits, an entire family of quail and even a roadrunner.

The invitation stands, Mr. Abplanalp. Come sit on my deck any weekday morning and count the speeding cars. Maybe then you will understand why I am opposed to this expansion without speed bumps. I’ll furnish the coffee.

Sherry King

Beaver Dam, AZ