On May 16, a tractor trailer plowed over a 61-year-old man, a three-time cancer survivor, dragging him down Elm Street in Waterville.

Timothy Ferris of Waterville deserved better from his city. He survived, but his life, and the lives of his friends, will never be the same. He was taken to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor for a long and painful recuperation.

How could an elderly man, with a walker, nearly die right in front of his home, an elderly and disabled housing complex in the busy downtown area? The answer is simple: this short stretch of Elm Street has become a drag strip. In or out of the designated crosswalk, nobody is safe. I’ve seen motorists race to avoid stopping for the flashing lights. I’ve seen pedestrians dance and dodge and suffer harassment from impatient drivers who didn’t want to stop.

The library, a public park and a shopping center are all within a block of that crossing. It’s a disgrace that our most vulnerable citizens aren’t safe crossing that street.

The city should address this public hazard.

David Carkhuff
Winslow