Editor,

Your April 29 editor’s column, “A Rebirth for Clinton?” questions what purpose a roundabout in Clinton, or a traffic light on Highway 525, would serve, beyond slowing traffic and perhaps causing some of those car drivers shooting off the ferry to take a look around, maybe even stop. But then you ask, what’s left to stop for, alluding to the scarcity of retail shops and the current status of proposals to revitalize Clinton.

The rebirth of Clinton may well take a while, but there is very good reason for a roundabout right now — to serve us, the residents of Clinton, as we walk the village on our various tasks: a stop at the library, a stop at the post office, perhaps a stop to buy milk and eggs at Clinton Food Mart or cash a check at the bank. You see the roundabout will serve the walking, running and biking residents a great deal; it will slow traffic and we can negotiate without anxiety crossing Highway 525. We might be wanting to walk to or from Cozy’s, or to or from either bank. Or simply we might want to stroll up to DQ for an ice cream cone some warm summer day, or even up the hill to Hong Kong Gardens.

Enjoying the real services our village offers us — on whichever side of Highway 525 those businesses are located and from whichever side we live or are parked — means we must have a safe crossing where yes, traffic is indeed slowed and we can trust that the traffic will notice us.

We residents know the retail services we have in the village of Clinton and we use what we have. A roundabout is essential for our community to walk across Highway 525 without fear of those rockets shooting off the ferry. Besides we will make that roundabout beautiful with flowers almost all year long because we will care about this. It will be our roundabout.

Sincerely,

ELISA MILLER

Clinton