Why haven’t the city or county installed street lights on South Arlington Street.

Once a driver turns off of West Innes Street, they enter a stretch of road that is totally dark to Old Concord Road and beyond. This heavily traveled road is pitch black from dusk until late morning. It is so dark, in fact, that the median is hard to see. Folks who need to catch the bus at the stop near Walmart have no lights to help them navigate if they need to cross South Arlington. Lighting would add a layer of protection for those who ride the bus.

The only light source in the area is the Walmart parking lot and the shopping area across from it. A visit to the Walmart parking lot after dark will quickly show just how many people use South Arlington Street. This road needs lights for public safety.

Additionally, the lack of attention to this problem is a slap in the face to Walmart, which is one of the county’s biggest employers. We may enjoy complaining about Walmart, but where would we be without it?

If Rowan County lost this business, it would be a terrible hit to our economy. City and the county government need to support this business. Lighting South Arlington Street would be a good place to start.

The street lights would be an asset to the neighboring communities, too. The park area between Martin Luther King Boulevard and South Arlington would certainly benefit from the light that would be created by the street lights. Currently that area is a “no man’s land” after dark.

The time to resolve this problem is now.

— Larry Bowyer

Salisbury