Today, Sept. 9, 2019, at approximately 12:35 p.m., as we were driving from our home along Route 517 to Walmart on route 23, we experienced a demonstration of ineptness and lack of training on the part of the Vernon Public Works Dept..
The demonstration consisted of a supposed traffic controller with a Slow/Stop sign stationed at the northern end of the construction, who, as we approached, had the slow side of the sign facing us. As we drew parallel to him, he changed the sign to stop and held the sign up in a threatening manner as if to hit our car. Since we were already committed to the facing traffic lane, and in order to avoid becoming a traffic danger, we continued in the direction of Walmart. Further along, we came to additional construction equipment, at which a Vernon patrol car with flashing lights was stationed. The car turned into our land in front of us, and stopped to speak with one of the construction workers, holding a phone.
The man pointed in our direction, the patrol car pulled over and when we passed turned in behind us.
He followed us until we came to what turned out to be the end of construction. However, as we approached the final traffic pylon, we witnessed another demonstration of lack of training and inept performance on the part of the release traffic controller. He was set up parallel to the last traffic pylon and pointed for us to turn between the last two pylons, into the other traffic lane. The auto’s coming the other way had been halted facing us, within a few feet of the last pylon, so, there was not enough room for a car heading south to pass the pylon into the correct traffic lane (as is supposed to be the case). I thought the actions of the various construction and police personnel involved in this episode to be questionable, and feel the township is not represented in a good light with this kind of shoddy performance.
James P. Murphy, Sr.
Vernon Township