The motor vehicle accident that occurred at the onset of Labor Day weekend was the last straw for me. On Friday, Sept. 3, about 4:15 p.m., a truck and small sedan collided at the intersection of Main Street and Old Slaughter Road in Zachary.

And, if your wheels are spinning- pardon the pun- then you're making an educated guess as to the cause of the accident...and you'd be correct in your guess. The sedan was attempting to make a left-turn onto Main Street!

These days, making a left turn onto the main thoroughfare that runs through the center of town, no matter which direction you're heading, is proving to be a frightening prospect.

Trust me when I say--and many other folks who work in the businesses along Main can testify to this--we are constantly hearing the spine-stiffening screeching of brakes that is usually accompanied with a resounding crash!

I tense up and brace for impact...just like the driver is doing, I'm sure. The number of wrecks is increasing along Hwy. 64, Main Street and Chruch Street--the dangerous road with many names--and as an aside, why is this? (Please, I'd love to hear from someone who knows why it has so many names. It changes names once again when it crosses over Plank Road on the east end of town!) But I'm going off on another tangent...somebody stop me.

I also don't think it's because my profession requires to me to cover, photograph and write about the accidents, that I'm hyperaware of them. It's because there are so many!!

I'm aware the City of Zachary has plans to incorporate turning lanes in specific sections of Main Street. The LADOTD is doing traffic counts at certain spots as well.

Something must be done, I say! Not only is Main becoming more dangerous, but the traffic is absolutely horrendous! Compared to Baton Rouge, Zachary traffic is virtually non-existent but along Main it's not so nice.

The other day it took me 15 minutes to drive across the street to Office Depot. Across the street!! And this is because I never got a clear shot to drive directly across Main. No way!

And I certainly couldn't make a quick left onto Main to then make a quick right into Office Depot's parking lot.

I had to make a right turn, go to the traffic light at Main and Hwy. 19, sit through two cycles of lights, go left on 19, make a left onto Mae Street which took me direcly into the parking lot of Stage, Dirt Cheap and Office Depot.

But I had to drive through that lot, dodging pedestrians and cars in reverse...in the heat of the day! I was irritated to say the least. Please, if anyone out there can relate--send me an email or write a letter about your thoughts on Main Street! Perhaps with enough feedback from citizens....we can make Main safe again!