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To the editor:

The recent letter to the editor (“Condition of Highway 32 is disgusting,” by Thomas Braswell, published Feb. 20) concerning roadway conditions on Route 32 has inspired me to write a letter to the editor concerning my opinion of the roadway maintenance situation in the city of Suffolk.

When the city of Suffolk petitioned VDOT to provide maintenance of the roadways outside the core city, the city officials explained to the public that VDOT was very inefficient and they, the city of Suffolk, would be better stewards of the funds.

It appears this statement was not accurate. In my opinion, our roadways have deteriorated by questionable maintenance since the takeover. Seldom are the ditches cleaned and/or regraded to assist in the roadside drainage. Some of the secondary road intersections are blocked by vegetation growth, resulting in blind intersections and potential accident situations. The city seldom responds to pothole reports. Trash remains along the recently purchased right-of-way along Route 58/Holland Road. The area near the Cypress Swamp-Route 32 that is much below the grade of the roadway needs guardrails, not traffic delineators.

I will give the city accolades for installing concrete storm gutters on some of the streets adjacent to East Washington Street.

I feel the citizens of Suffolk should call for an audit by the state police as to where the VDOT-allocated funds are being spent by the city.

G. Stewart Tyler

Suffolk