Feb. 10, 2003

Merge lane at TA-55 entrance (Pajarito Road and Pecos Drive)

Since Sept. 11, 2001 employees at Technical Area 55 have been required to show their badges at a new guard post at the junction of Pajarito Road and Pecos Drive. This requires waiting in a line of vehicles as each car passes through the checkpoint. Pecos Drive is the road that runs north from Pajarito Road, past TA-55 and down to TA-35. For many months there were orange construction barrels on Pecos Drive just off of Pajarito Road. These barrels were of great help in the merge process of drivers from westbound Pajarito Road and drivers from eastbound Pajarito Road that were turning onto Pecos Drive. The barrels made for a much safer merge situation. For some reason the barrels have been removed creating an unsafe situation for eastbound Pajarito Road drivers turning onto Pecos Drive.

When the barrels were in place, the merge point on Pecos Drive was well away from the intersection at Pajarito Road. Now, with the barrels removed, many drivers from west-bound Pajarito Road turn onto Pecos Drive and merge as quickly as possible into the line of cars waiting to be checked at the guard post. This causes a back-up of vehicles from eastbound Pajarito turning onto Pecos Drive often leaving vehicles sticking halfway out onto Pajarito Road. With the speed limit on Pajarito Road being 50 miles-per-hour, a major accident could easily take place.

I'm not faulting drivers for poor merging skills; I'm simply asking that the barrels be put back in place to create a safer merge situation. I've been told that the barrels were moved to facilitate snow plowing. However, it hasn't snowed substantially since late December. The barrels should be put back in place once plowing has finished.

Thank you.

--Jason B. Halladay