I'm fascinated by roadside memorials to lost loved ones. You may not notice them in a speeding car, but on my bicycle trips on side roads I see a lot of them. They mark a place where family's lives were changed forever; a spot where a life was cut tragically short.
The memorials to loved ones who died in crashes at these sites are frowned on by state transportation officials, and under Delaware law, the roadside memorials are illegal. There was a push to remove the memorials, but officials have backed away over the past few years.
As an alternative, state officials created the nation's first memorial garden at the Smyrna rest area. The 11,000-square-foot garden contains landscaping and bricks engraved with names of victims of highway crashes.
I knew that wouldn't work for everyone. Some need a cross on the roadside to help ease the pain. They don't want their loss to be forgotten. The memorials serve as reminders that life is precious and can be lost in an instant.
You don't have to look far for the memorials – there are three on a short stretch of Route 9 near Harbeson, including one that is decorated for the seasons.
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Ron MacArthur has lived and worked in Sussex County all his life. As a journalist for nearly 50 years, he has covered everything from county and town meetings to presidential visits. He also has a unique perspective having served as an elected official and lived on both sides of the county.
Contact Ron at ronm@capegazette.com
