An alternative to the roadside

The Commercial Appeal
March 24, 2006

For some mourners, nothing could replace those makeshift roadside memorials that mark the place where a loved one lost in an auto accident drew his or her last breath.

These poignant reminders of how fleeting life is probably slow down some of the lead-footed drivers among us. State officials should do their best, however, to create safer alternatives and encourage people to rely on them to help process their grief.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation makes a persuasive case for the less risky alternative of memorial gardens, citing the hazards posed to motorists as well as to family members and friends of the deceased who are stopped next to the road to maintain memorials or spend a few moments at the site.

The main danger would seem to be simply the act of standing on the roadside, perhaps focused on the memorial itself or the memory of a lost loved one, with high-speed traffic passing only a few feet away.

A recently released TDOT report points out that crosses and other markers include physical components that block sight lines and become projectiles when they're struck.

Such markers "are appearing with increasing frequency along Tennessee highways," the report noted.

TDOT has the authority to remove the markers without legislative approval, according to an opinion by the state attorney general's office.

But it is doing the right thing by consulting with the General Assembly and the public regarding any effort -- direct or indirect -- to reduce the number of markers placed alongside the road.

It's an issue that the public should be given an opportunity to address, especially those who have chosen roadside memorials as a way to express their grief. They will get a chance to do so in hearings expected to be held in late summer or fall.

Ultimately, the prudent course would be for Tennessee to follow the lead of the state of Delaware and create memorial gardens which could serve the same purpose as roadside memorials. The gardens could be located at rest areas or other safe locations where mourners could place mementos or plant trees in honor of accident victims.

The creation of memorial gardens could be part of the "Tennessee Roadscapes" initiative, fitting in with other beautification projects along interstates and other highways. The idea has the support of Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Mark Norris, R-Collierville, and House Transportation Committee Chairman Phillip Pinion, D-Union City.

It can and should be accomplished with respect for the feelings of those whose lives have been touched by tragedy and with the public's safety in mind.