MORGANTOWN — Speed. Ice. Potholes.
It’s a recipe for motorized mayhem in an all too predictable spot.
The same stretch of Stewart Street that inspired a hubcap memorial this past summer is back at it — this time with a winter twist.
Travis Rowan is the co-owner of Shorty Anderson’s Auto Service, at 908 Stewart Street.
He and his crew have a front row seat for the carnage, which plays out daily directly in front of the shop.
“A big part of the problem is speed. It’s hard to go 25, but some of these cars come through here 55 or 60,” Rowan said. “But they get down here and they see that pothole, and they swerve. Well, it’s a sheet of ice. It’s a bad combo. Ice, potholes and people driving way too fast.”
The ice isn’t necessarily the work of winter weather. It’s the result of it being perpetually wet in that area, meaning once the temperature drops, the sliding begins.
The West Virginia Division of Highways has said there are drainage issues along that stretch of Stewart Street and indicated the issues could be due to improperly managed stormwater runoff from nearby development.
Linda Hamrick said she’s not so sure.
Hamrick lives at 897 Stewart Street. Hers is the last house within city boundaries.
She explained that she’s lived at that location for more than two decades and notes the problems just began within the last couple years.
“It’s to where I’m afraid to be in my front yard. We’ve had multiple vehicles crash into our yard. They hit that ice and they can’t stop. I’m always in a panic now. I’m thinking about putting railroad ties along the yard,” Hamrick said. “More importantly, right there where the water is coming up out of the road, that’s a school bus stop. At 6:30 in the morning, there are kids standing there.”
Hamrick said there have been evenings when she’s made multiple 911 calls asking for someone to address the ice.
Last Friday night for example.
“Friday night, one of my guys who lives upstairs called and told us there was a car in the ditch. A little bit later, he calls back and says there’s a couple cars out there now,” Rowan said.
Both Rowan and Hamrick said they don’t know exactly where the water is coming from and why, they’re just hopeful someone addresses it before there is a tragic accident.
“I’m not an engineer. I don’t what’s causing this, but it’s somebody’s responsibilty,” Hamrick said.
