Remember When column

 

Harriet Case sent me a nice note after my column came out. She wrote that her contemporary friends surely got a chuckle from my assertion that she and Delbert had not dated anyone else after they met. I was told that by one of their friends, and I took it as Gospel.

 

I thought it was a touching story of true love at first sight, but considering their good looks and personalities, probably not credible (the not dating anyone else part). At any rate, I am sticking to my policy of welcoming corrections and naming the persons who “correct” me.

 

Another friend has finished his course among us and is now reunited with his dear wife Anne “in God’s house,” as our little granddaughter observed upon the death of Fran’s step-dad.

 

1. C. Day, better known to all as “Casey,” will be affectionately remembered by many who were the beneficiaries of his acts of kindness as well as by us who just liked the guy. The last time I saw him he was still driving his red pickup truck, and managing a grin in greeting.

 

I also fondly remember Casey’s wife Anne, taken from us ‘way too soon many years ago. She was also a treasured neighbor in Holly Hill as well as our community of Columbus and environs. Together, she and Casey continually practiced a good neighbor policy of helping wherever needed. May they rest in peace.

 

Were the Polk County Commissioners right to ask for the “insane” intersection of US74 and I-26 when both were being built? Henry Huntsinger, who served with both NCDOT and was a County Commissioner then, told me that Polk County wanted all Interstate traffic, as well as that on the new 4-lane-divided US74, to have to stop at Columbus when using the interchange.

 

When the construction of the big Tryon International Equestrian Center began, there was a clamor to “fix” this “problem” intersection. The state of North Carolina DOT agreed, and embarked on an extensive and costly rebuild. It was nearly completed by the time the games began at the big equestrian center.

 

When the last ramp was finally completed recently, most locals breathed a collective huge sigh of relief. No more delays, no more 18-wheelers, no more shuttling of loads of dirt and asphalt paving material, and no more tracking of fresh road tar, on the roundabouts and on NC 108 through Columbus. 

 

There was some discussion around McDonald’s Oval Table on a recent Saturday morning of whether there is reduced patronage of the gas stations and eating establishments in Columbus now that the new intersection is complete. All out-of-county traffic may now just breeze right on by our Columbus exits! 

 

I understand that the state DOT is looking at widening the roundabouts to two lanes and NC 108 from there to the hospital to three lanes with sidewalk(s). This work will require a new bridge with four lanes over I-26. I understand that the expansion of the roundabouts and bridge is to improve traffic flow, mostly by emergency vehicles. Fire trucks and the EMT ambulances cannot move among the traffic that has stopped for them on the bridge! Since all traffic must pull over as well as stop, there is now nowhere for that to happen.

 

Interstates are like big rivers—only a few crossings are built because the bridges are so expensive, even when access from the Interstate is not deemed necessary. But there is always trouble when little-traveled “pig tracks“ become highways and Interstate access must then be provided. Never forget that private automobiles are king of the hill in today’s society. Everything else must perforce deal with them, be they pedestrians, bicycles or 18-wheelers!