Dear Editor,

From 1968 until 2000, I lived at 57 Co. Hwy U, Belleville. All those years, the Dane County Highway Dept. trucks turned around in the mouth of our driveway. They did much damage – they got stuck frequently, rutting the ditch and the surface of the driveway. They once drove over and broke a gate post. Another time, they backed over and downed both gate posts and the gate enclosing the driveway where livestock was being pastured. Additionally, they dumped huge amounts of salt and gravel over time.

I wrote letters to the Dane County Hwy Commissioner telling him of these problems, and requested that the county trucks cease to turn around in my driveway. These requests were ignored.

Now, the worst and most dangerous abuse of any so far –

Twice in the past week or so of heavy snow, February 11th-February 18th, 2019, we have seen on two occasions Dane County plows drive into the driveway mouth, plows down, to travel 30 or 40 yards westward toward the buildings at the end of the driveway. The purpose? Obviously to clear the mouth of the driveway and 20 yards or so of the portion of the driveway needed to back into it in order to turn around. In doing so, the Dane County plows pushed enough snow into a pile eight feet wide by 3 1/2 feet high and perhaps 3-4 feet from front to rear.

With sunny warm intervals, that snow has softened a bit and melted a bit. With a resumption of cold temperatures, this pile of snow is dense and very hard.

Plainly, Dane County Hwy Dept. trucks have created a very dangerous situation. If by chance, there were to be a fire in the farm house or other buildings, the fire department would be unable to reach the site of the fire because of the barrier at the lower end of the driveway. A direct consequence of the selfish, inconsiderate and illegal behavior of the drivers of the Dane County Hwy Department plows! In my opinion, these behaviors are criminal in nature!

Robert J. Holland,

Belleville