Community View | Kingman needs to focus on water, traffic safety

I read with interest Mr. Skowronek’s article in the Community View titled “Kingman needs to stay focused on downtown.” But there are two more far more important issues that $6 million should be going to – water and traffic issues.

I agree our downtown area is an embarrassment and I would love our downtown area to look like Boulder City and Wickenburg, but to bring in new residents and businesses we need to ensure all funds go toward those problems.

My husband and I built a home in the east sector of Kingman 24 years ago when Hualapai Mountain Road had only the Quik Stop Convenience store, the adjacent storage units and the radio station (long since removed). There was no traffic signal and traffic wasn’t an issue.

When the commercial businesses began moving in I thought it was an asset to Hualapai Mountain Road residents. It became necessary to put in a traffic signal at Railroad Street. Now, 24 years later, the traffic on Hualapai Mountain Road has become more dangerous with all the residential properties being built on the streets adjacent to it. We need at least two more traffic signals – one at Jackson (next to Mission Bank) and another at Eastern (where the elementary school, church and fire station are located). I understand those will cost approximately $250, 000 each. To say we need to spend millions to beautify downtown is ridiculous.

With regard to Stockton Hill Road, I avoid it at all costs. It is dangerous, and businesses have been allowed to stop any through traffic from going from store-to-store. I am talking specifically about the Big Lots, etc., and Walmart and Smiths. In order to get from one of these businesses to another, people have to get back on Stockton Hill Road.

As far as the water issue, when we moved to Kingman we were assured our aquifer would last 100 years. That was before all of the commercial and residential development. It is not so today. There’s no 100-year water supply.

People, if you are as concerned as I am about water and traffic, start calling city officials. Attend council meetings and speak out at the end of the meeting when they open up to allow residents to speak.

These are the officials responsible to “serve and protect” Kingman residents. Residents need to make themselves heard.

(Gwen Gillman is a Kingman resident.)