Dear Mahatma: I recently sat motionless on Rodney Parham Road at Cantrell Road waiting for an unchanging red light to turn green. At 5:03 p.m., I dialed the city services number (311) and a recording said it was closed. At 5:17 p.m., I joined the stampede making hazardous U-turns to escape while I still had gas in my tank. -- Annoyed
Dear Annoyed: Luis Gonzalez speaks for the city of Little Rock. He said the 311 hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
After hours, call the nonemergency Police Department number, 371-4829. It's open 24/7.
O Great One: I am often late to UALR basketball games because the traffic light at the South University main entrance to campus allows about four cars to turn left before it turns red. Could the signal be changed to allow left turn on red or, if that is not possible, increase the left-turn time on game days? -- Tardy Trojan
Dear Tardy: As a UALR alum, The Mahatma feels your pain. Go! Fight! Win! Or something. (It's not true that The Mahatma's diploma was chiseled on a flat stone. It's papyrus.)
Turn left on red? Sounds like a bad idea. Adjustment for game days? Sounds complicated.
We pitched the problem to Bill Henry, the city's traffic engineering manager. He examined the times at the intersection and has added additional time to accommodate more left-turning vehicles at University and 28th Street.
Let us now sing the UALR fight song.
Dear Kind Sir: I am shocked at the destruction along the median from Morgan to the Interstate 40 interchange with Interstate 430. Save some trees, and please do not burn all the murdered pieces. Give them away for firewood, or shred them for mulch. -- Mother Earth
Dear Mom: We quizzed the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department.
Is the contractor cutting down too much? Only what is necessary to build the project, in which I-40 is widened to three lanes on each side.
What is considered necessary? Trees are removed for the space needed to build the roadway, shoulders, slopes and drainage.
Will trees and shrubs be replanted? No. But the areas disturbed will have permanent erosion control, such as grass seeding.
When will this carnage be over? Expected completion of the project is spring 2016.
Can the wood be given away for firewood or turned into mulch? It would be dangerous to have drivers pulled over on the interstate, what with all the traffic and heavy construction equipment. Timber and other debris will be removed to an off-site location, approved by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, and burned.
What's being done to beautify I-40 from North Little Rock to Conway? No beautification programs are planned. But the Highway Department has a wildflower program in which native flower species are planted on highway roadsides. Such planting could be considered here.
Vanity plate seen on a Chrysler: IM BROKE.
Mahatma@arkansasonline.com
Metro on 02/14/2015