Over 50 Valley View Road residents attended the Hermitage Commissioner’s meetings with the majority voicing concerns regarding traffic safety issues of 40 more homes on Valley View Road. It was disappointing The Herald chose to report a few negative comments by two people, rather than the real story. The traffic safety issues apply to 40 new homes (80 more vehicles) on Valley View for anyone, low, medium or high income.

Traffic safety issues that affect current and future residents and everyone else traveling Valley View road include:

• Current traffic backup at Lamor and Valley View Roads (Sunoco Station, Joy Cone trucks and the Sheetz entrance on Lamor).

• Vehicles pulling boats and campers, motorcycles from the Clark House, traffic from Tara, school buses and Sunday traffic from four churches.

Valley View Road is a narrow, two lane country road with no place to pull off.

Mail and newspaper delivery vehicles must stop on the road at each driveway. There have been many near accidents when traffic tries to pass these stopped vehicles. Recently, I was involved in a near miss as I traveled north on Valley View approaching my driveway. The mail vehicle stopped across the street and a southbound vehicle came around the curve and attempted to pass it. Lucky for me, and the van behind me, I had slowed and the passing vehicle saw me just in time. This could have resulted in a serious 4-vehicle accident.

There have been many accidents at night in front our house, when vehicles misjudge the sharp, blind curve and end up in the ditch or against a tree. This curve is just three houses from the entrance/exit of the proposed development.

It is part of the American dream to own a home and live in a safe environment and everyone should have that opportunity. Why can’t these tax credits be used to purchase existing home for sale (over 120 in Hermitage) and the monthly rental payments be applied to the purchase price, creating a real opportunity to own a home?