Letter: Better options than cutting trees on I-95

Let me get this straight: Rightly unnerved by the number of traffic deaths along a 35-mile stretch of Interstate-95 in Jasper County, the state Department of Transportation plans to cut down and remove 99 acres of roadside trees at the cost of several million dollars.

Apparently considering the trees, rather than drivers, as the problem, DOT project director Eric Hall says, “Sometimes there’s no good options but to clear it.”

But has DOT considered the option of slowing traffic along the 35-mile stretch? If the state lowered the speed limit there to 50 mph, and enforced it for a while, would not the number of deaths plummet? Doing so would add no more than seven minutes to the three hours it presently takes one to drive the length of I-95 within the state.

As we know, trees provide oxygen, habitat for wildlife, and beauty to lift our spirits. So shouldn’t we at least try an alternate, easy, and less-expensive remedy?

If we continue to make decisions based on what’s convenient for us now, rather than on what’s good for the planet and for generations of not just humans but all animals to come, I fear for the long-term existence of life on earth.

This story was originally published February 23, 2017 at 4:37 PM with the headline "Letter: Better options than cutting trees on I-95."