At this week’s Niles Township meeting, Niles Township trustees and Berrien County Commissioner Jim Curran put into practice a habit that we should see more often in our communities: They saw a problem, and they worked to resolve it.

This is not to say that our local governments do not often solve problems, but rather to point out that this solution is far better than the “solution” we too often see, where residents become angry about a proposal, spout off about it on social media, and hope their comments reach the right person.

Instead, these elected officials took action.

Concerned about the “Michigan left” the Michigan Department of Transportation is proposing at U.S. 12 and Third Street, the trustees and Curran drafted a resolution to contest the proposal.

Further, Curran promised to reach out to State Rep. Brad Paquette, who represents southwest Michigan on the state floor, and has the connections and power necessary to challenge the proposal.

These officials did not just stamp their feet and pout; they did research to find statistics to support their concerns. Curran pointed out that one of the streets involved in the intersection affected is a county road, and that county officials should have a say in the matter.

These points, combined with the support of many citizens in Niles Township, should prove to make a compelling argument against what many feel is an unsafe change in traffic.

We support these officials’ resolution, and urge MDOT to listen carefully to their concerns, erring on the side of caution and taking into account that these opinions are expressed by drivers who regularly take the route impacted.

Opinions expressed are those of general manager Ambrosia Neldon, managing editor Sarah Culton and sports editor Scott Novak.