As someone who travels Newsome Road daily, I would like to applaud Margaret T. Shumate on her letter of July 5 (“Fix Newsome Road”).  In her letter, she was being rather kind in her description of the condition of Newsome Road.

For several years, residents and travelers have anticipated changes to Newsome Road with proposed widening and bicycle lane installation. Budgetary requests were made to City Council in this regard in 2014-2015.

Therefore, it came as a surprise by many when in December 2016, then-Mayor Karen Alexander was quoted in the Post as saying that the City Council was able to see the completion of the Newsome Road project.  We “assumed” completion would include the repaving and repairing of the entire road.

Which Newsome Road was she speaking of? Newsome Road extends approximately a half-mile, connecting Stokes Ferry Road with Bringle Ferry Road and is a heavily trafficked artery to the city. This is the section that is in dire need of attention.

Please, N.C. Department of Transportation or the city of Salisbury, take responsibility for repaving this section of Newsome Road.

— Tony & Dorothy LaBarbera

Salisbury