Editor: It is truly unfortunate that Pasco citizens are not better informed about the impact of uncontrolled commercial and residential growth on our daily lives. Yes, our society is overwhelmed with data these days and we tend to respond to issues on an emotional level and are often uninformed regarding the facts. Only 25 percent of our population even bothers to watch news broadcasts or read a newspaper.
Here we are living on U.S. 19, the most dangerous federal highway in America, and few people in Pasco have concern about polluting U.S. 19 with another 10,000 to 20,000 car trips per day. The folks in Port Richey know the story. Now, some of them say that they want another Wal-Mart in Bayonet Point to take some of the load off the Ridge Road/U.S. 19 intersection.
Wal-Mart must have highway capacity to make their supercenters work and their priority is sending profits back to Bentonville, Ark. and not the horrendous cost to Pasco citizens regarding accidents, deaths, injuries and the additional costs it will take to support another supercenter.
There has been a 74 percent increase in traffic accidents at Ridge and U.S. 19 since the Wal-Mart Supercenter came to town, and the Port Richey Police Department has been overwhelmed with a 65 percent increase in crime. Guess who pays for all the police, fire and rescue services that support these private commercial enterprises? You do, in property taxes.
Pasco County will need to support a new supercenter with additional emergency services wherever they put them in Pasco County. Big Business couldn't care less about our public safety. It's all about money!
It appears that most citizens are willing to risk their lives and the lives of their families on U.S. 19 on a daily basis for the ultimate shopping experience. All I hear is our good neighbor Wal-Mart is going to provide me with yet another store, my property values will go up because we have a supercenter less than 4 miles from every major intersection on U.S. 19, and it will certainly improve the looks of the community.
Can the people of Pasco possibly have the courage to leave their self-centered interests for a moment and look at the bigger picture of public safety?
C.T. Bowen, in his Sept. 28 column Silly issues cloud real problems makes light of the real issues. He has more concern about putting small entrepreneurs out of business so everything will be aesthetically pleasing in his eye. True, Pasco does not have an obligation to prop up small business but it does have a responsibility to provide opportunity and limit monopoly. Many of our citizens, including Mr. Bowen, take a cheap shot at the over 4,000 Beacon Woods residents for trying to protect their community and stop the carnage on U.S. 19.
Pasco County government does have a responsibility to provide for the public safety and welfare of its citizens. This Bayonet Point Wal-Mart issue is about controlling commercial growth in areas that cannot support a supercenter.
The only thing that can save us from further devastation on U.S. 19 is effective growth management. A local civic group has a toll free number, 1-866-690-1028. I would encourage you to get involved - your safety and quality of life is at stake here.
-- Carl Spoeth, Bayonet Point
Traffic lights needed during highway construction project
Editor: Trying to get into subdivisions along State Road 54 between Gunn Highway and Little Road will get worse when the state starts construction on that road soon.
Two traffic lights have been approved for the completed road, to be done two years from now, according to the state Department of Transportation. One is to go at Trinity school and one at Longleaf.
I contacted state Sen. Mike Fasano in January to see if he could have these lights put in before the end of construction. He sent me a letter with a copy to the head of the DOT asking if they could be moved up for safety's sake. The engineer of the project called and said that they checked the accident rate on the road and there were not enough accidents on the road to put the lights in sooner.
So my friends, keep your eyes open and please do not become roadkill so that common sense would prevail. They have temporary traffic lights on the section east of Gunn Highway. I guess we do not count.
-- Robert Ridings, New Port Richey
[Last modified October 12, 2003, 01:33:42]
