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Let’s fix the whole problem
With Eckerd’s impending opening near the Business 23/N.C. 107 intersection, Sylva’s main traffic bottleneck is likely to become even more congested.
While we applaud the cooperative effort made by the chain’s developer and local Department of Transportation personnel to improve traffic flow toward Cullowhee, we wonder why the real stumbling block – the fact that only one lane must carry all Sylva-bound vehicles on 107 – is not being addressed.
We don’t have to be traffic engineers to see where the line of cars backs up every morning, noon and evening. Fixing a potential snafu that might arise once Eckerd’s opens is not a bad idea, but alleviating a known problem is a better one.
We understand that the developer is paying for the new lane, and that improvements for eastbound traffic are not coming from DOT coffers. However, we fail to see why some DOT money can’t be spent to make that entire intersection function more smoothly.
Go, Cats, go!
It’s been a long time coming, but Western Carolina University’s women’s basketball team is headed for the Big Dance.
We congratulate Coach Kellie Harper and her team on winning the Southern Conference Tournament with a thrilling double overtime victory over Georgia Southern and wish them the best in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
We’ll be watching Sunday on ESPN when the NCAA pairings are announced at 5 p.m., and we look forward to WCU’s first-round game the following weekend.
Making the accomplishment even more special is how far a long-dormant program has come in recent years under the guidance of Harper and her predecessor, Beth Dunkenberger.
Western had not had a winning season since 1982-83 when Dunkenberger arrived in Cullowhee prior to the 2000-01 campaign. Her hard work, along with that of her players, turned things around and produced two winning seasons and a spot in the Southern Conference Tournament championship game during her four years.
When Dunkenberger left for Virginia Tech, WCU administrators had the foresight to bring in Harper, who knows all about winning from her playing days at Tennessee and her time as an assistant coach at Chattanooga.
Go Cats! We know you will make us proud during your time on the national stage.
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