Letters to the Editor

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: To send in your Letters to the Editor, email them to News Editor Robin Hartill at [email protected]. Letters pertaining to local issues receive priority. Letters may be edited for grammar and space.

+ No more Bushes in the White House
Dear Editor:

Not a good idea. We have already had two Bushes too many in the White House.

Roy Diton
Longboat Key

+ How to improve traffic flow on Bradenton Beach
Dear Editor:

At the first meeting of the newly formed North End Coalition of Property Owners March 20, I asked the audience whether they thought traffic flow could be improved between the north end of Longboat Key and the Cortez Bridge during peak traffic hours, especially at evening rush hour. Most attendees indicated “yes.” At times, cars are lined up from the north end of Longboat Key all the way to the Cortez Bridge traffic light, causing long delays, missed appointments, and angry drivers and passengers.

The following is suggested:

• Have police on foot direct vehicle and pedestrian traffic to speed up traffic flow on Gulf of Mexico Drive during peak hours or other times of heavy traffic.

• Have police hold back pedestrians and cars at the Bridge Street roundabout and at the traffic light at Cortez and GMD intersection to increase traffic flow. At the Bridge Street roundabout, the police could hold back pedestrian and cars from Bridge Street for, say, 5 minutes at a time, to let more cars coming north on GMD to pass through.

• Have police wave through more GMD traffic at the GMD and Cortez traffic light intersection to increase throughput of cars going north to Holmes Beach or over the Cortez Bridge. If possible, increase the “green light” time for the GMD direction.

• Have the drawbridge attendant on the Cortez Bridge hold off boats seeking passage through the bridge at peak traffic times.

• Have the police at the Cortez Road and 119th Street intersection in Cortez wave through more cars to prevent a backup on Cortez Bridge.

I would ask: Can the police chiefs and town mayors of the affected towns work out a comprehensive plan to improve traffic flow and reduce the frustration of many motorists along GMD? Police already provide this service for some special town and other private events requiring special police help.

Herman Kruegle
Longboat Key

+ Sincere thanks for tribute for husband
Dear Editor:
On Thursday April 10, there was a tribute at the Longboat Key Library for the passing of my husband, Bob Craft.  This day marked the one-year anniversary of his death.

The former president of the Longboat Key Library, Patrice Greene, spent countless hours preparing for the dedication. I want to sincerely thank Patrice and all of those that attended and those of you that were there in spirit. The donation to the Longboat Key Library and the planting of the Bismarckia palm is appreciated not only by me, but also all of our friends. I appreciate all your heartfelt encouragement and well wishes. Your thoughtfulness will always be remembered.

Alycia Craft 
Longboat Key

+ Bike lane solution: Clean up what we’ve got
Dear Editor:
I am writing with regards to the discussions about widening the bicycle lanes on Gulf of Mexico Drive.

I have been a seasonal resident of the Key for the past five years, and an avid cyclist, who has spent many hours on the roads on the Key and throughout Sarasota. I typically ride between 100 and 150 miles each week. I believe I have covered most of the roads and encounter most of the traffic issues on a routine basis.

While I support anything that can be done to make the roads and bike lanes safer for cyclists, I believe that there are many actions that need to be taken before investing funds in widening the lanes. The bike lanes on GMD are, in fact, very good lanes, if we can take actions to keep vehicles (moving or otherwise) out of the dedicated lanes.

The initial actions should include:

• Educating drivers about the rules of the road and to ensure they stay out of the bike lanes and look for bikes in the lanes before turning. This could be done with signs, radio talk shows, bike awareness week and, perhaps, bike dedicated times for use of the roads.

• Enforcing traffic regulations to make drivers and service companies more cautious about encroaching on the bike lanes.

• Clean existing lanes of debris. This includes sweeping the lanes to clear glass, sand, garbage, etc. and also trimming the grass that has grown over lanes, reducing their size in many locations. This is a relatively low cost action that will greatly improve the condition for cycling.

I can make a list of the top 10 reasons for dangerous situations that cyclists encounter daily and very few of them would be solved by simply making the bike lanes wider.

I would gladly participate in discussions with the town to develop a cost effective strategy of making our cycling experience safer and one that would encourage more cyclists and more tourists to visit the area.

Paul Haffenden
Longboat Key