Editorial notebook Timely study
Posted: August 4, 2009 at 6:26 a.m.
LITTLE ROCK — TIMELY FRIERSON sat in a lawn chair near the end of a grassy knoll beside Fayetteville's Malco Theater. She held a clipboard in her lap and a pen in one hand. About 10 yards away, two other notetakers in safety vests sat in similar chairs, spread out to her right in a straight line.
It was all but impossible for the thousands of passing afternoon motorists not to notice this trio of 20-somethings-and wonder what they were up to, sitting there like three birds sharing an imaginary wire.
Turns out that Ms. Frierson and her colleagues were working. They were documenting just where cars and trucks entered the turn-lane into the theater.
The assignment was part of their work toward a master's degree. It was also part of a project sponsored by the state highway department. The curbs bordering the left-turn lane had been clearly marked with paint about every two feet for some 20 yards or more. Timely Frierson was concentrating on the stretch of road closest to the actual turn. That was her designated zone to monitor.
So far that day, she'd made notations on exactly where 15 turning vehicles had entered the left-turn lane. The purpose?
The research would be used to help highway engineers design highway projects in the future. She's been doing this kind of watchful waiting for about five months in various parts of the state, including Rogers and Little Rock.
As the sun sank closer to the horizon, Ms. Frierson leaned forward and stared intensely as yet another car swerved into the lane-late. Then she smiled and made notation number 16. Just for the record. Just to help engineers design future roads a little more efficiently, a little more safely. Consider it a small contribution to getting folks where they're going. And the young lady had the perfect name for the job: Timely.
Editorial, Pages 10 on 08/04/2009
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"Way to go Tymli!" Make Helena-West Helena proud. Please ask the reporter to spell her name corretly. Thanks
Diane Tyler
Posted by: Didofunny
August 14, 2009 at 9:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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