Several of our local business owners have expressed concern over the median that would be installed on U.S. Highway 278.

The concrete medians would block left turns across the highway and would block a left turn onto Hazelbrand Road. It's not just business owners who were worried - local police also fear that the median might increase the time it would take to respond to calls on that road and at Walmart.

In a city council meeting that week, our city officials lamented that it might be too late to do anything to address these complaints. However, city officials, local business owners and three state transportation officials were able to meet on Friday to discuss what compromises, if any, could be made.

While the state officials still have to make a final decision, their willingness to hear our local business owners should be commended. It's nice to know that members of the state government are willing to compromise and listen to the people their decisions will be affecting.

In the future, though, we would encourage everyone involved to discuss thoroughly plans before a project starts. It's easy to fix a mistake early on, but it only gets tougher the longer it goes on.