Changes needed at Dollar General
To the editor:
Someone was asleep at the switch in the approval of the design of the Dollar General parking area at the front of the store. The area is a dead end with no provisions for egress onto Stringfellow Road and no provision made to provide room to turn around. It is a nightmare to enter this area and find no space to park.
An obvious solution to the problem would be to give up the last two or three northerlparking spaces and install a one-way outbound driveway onto Stringfellow Road. This would allow a customer to exit without having to perform the difficult task of turning around at the end of the parking area. One could still gain access to the store by making a left turn from this drive and enter the premises again through the main drive to access additional parking on the grounds.
Also, an alternative would be to remove all of the plantings along the north side of the store and, if there is room, provide an eastbound one-way access drive around the building to additional parking on the south side.
The design of this project was not based on aesthetics and ignored the uniqueness of the community. Accepted traffic engineering practice was also ignored.
It is doubtful that the management of Dollar General will accomplish any changes through the goodness of their corporate heart. I believe that the only way for change is for Pine Islanders to rally together and after a reasonable amount of time, perhaps until the beginning of the next snowbird season, boycott the store until evidence of change becomes apparent.
Sincerely,
John Kromhout
St. James City