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Median needs higher barrier

Re: Motorcycle crash victim was proud all his men in Iraq came home Story and photo, Jan. 16

Reporting on the recent motorcycle fatality on the new Memorial Causeway Bridge in Clearwater included a picture of the victim's motorcycle and a couple of onlookers at the accident scene.

The large black smudge on the side of the bridge in the picture's background is undoubtedly the result of a previous crossover by an eastbound automobile that lost control, jumped the 6-inch-high curb, hurtled through the concrete-covered median, headed into the westbound traffic lanes and bounced off the 3-foot-high wall protecting pedestrian traffic on the bridge.

Officials of Clearwater and the Florida Department of Transportation should notice dozens of black smudges on the curbs of the inside lanes in both directions. However, there are many more black smudges on the inside eastbound curb, especially in the descending area where the tendency is to gain speed while approaching the large curve in the bridge roadway.

The design engineers have gone to great measures to protect pedestrian traffic with substantial, 3-foot-high barriers on the outer edges of the roadway, but have failed to address the potential crossover accidents with an adequate barrier on the concrete median.

This design flaw must be quickly addressed by officials before there are more serious injuries and fatalities.

William R. Keech, Clearwater

Re: Clearwater's Memorial Causeway Bridge.

Bend in bridge warrants warning

Our beautiful new bridge has been host to serious accidents, some of them fatal. Most people expect a bridge to be fairly straight, and drivers are not forewarned that there is a considerable bend in this bridge.

Most accidents seem to occur at this portion of the bridge. You can tell that this is an unexpected bend by the number of tire tracks left on the median from near misses.

Because the safety of our residents and our visitors concerns us, we suggest that the sides of the median be defined either by the use of reflective paint or by installing reflective dots. This should help define the curvature of the road after dark.

So many drivers enjoy the breathtaking views afforded by the bridge that they may be temporarily distracted, so it might also be worth considering some type of "curve ahead" signage visible during daylight hours.

Sheila Cole, executive director Clearwater Beach Chamber of Commerce

Re: Bleeding us dry, a penny at a time Letter, Jan. 22

Penny tax facts can save you a trip

When the writer of this letter criticizes the Penny for Pinellas sales tax, he should get his facts right. The penny tax on his $25,000 car is not $250, but rather $50. The tax is levied only on the first $5,000 of any purchase.

I doubt seriously that adding $50 to the cost of a $25,000 car is going to bleed dry the purchaser.

The letter writer says that he'll drive to Pasco County in the future to make any large purchases. When he gets there he'll discover that he wasted his gas, because Pasco citizens have already voted themselves the same 1 percent local option tax as the Penny for Pinellas. He'll only end up contributing to improvements in Pasco County.

It's a real shame that a resident of our county would even consider driving to Pasco to try to save $50 on the purchase of a nice, new car and therefore not contribute to the cost of building the roads that he would use to get there. How selfish is that?

Keith Bailey, Largo

Re: Boat slip position is tough to believe Letter by William Blackwood, Jan. 22

City Council needs to listen

I hope that Mr. Blackwood's letter doesn't in any way suggest that Anne Garris taking the Clearwater City Council to task in her direct but simple way is wrong. I don't always agree with her, but I applaud her for her caring.

This City Council listens only to the builders and not to the people. Any intelligent person knows that they doomed our downtown and its suffering merchants the day they changed the route to the bridge.

I also agree that building the boat slips downtown is a good plan, but it seems to this observer the City Council spends our money as fast as it comes in - nothing put away for a rainy day. Spend, spend. We need more people like Anne Garris.

Robert Kerins, Clearwater

Re: Primate preserve is a local treasure Letter, Jan. 16

Volunteers are sanctuary assets

Recently, you published a letter by Charles Derer concerning his association with the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary, where I was a Great Ape coordinator.

I met him a few years ago when he asked whether we would mind if he auctioned off one of his model cars to benefit the sanctuary. We told him we would greatly appreciate his efforts, and after the auction ended, he brought in almost $1,000 to donate to the animals.

His letter is not only a vote of confidence for the sanctuary and its programs, but a wonderful demonstration of why our organization caters to animals, seniors and the youth.

We have seniors that help with fundraising and support from Mr. Derer, seniors that pick up food items, seniors that tend plants, and seniors that volunteer to visit with the animals. Seniors are a valuable asset to our community and still have a lot of seeds to sow for the good of all. Everyone has a place at the sanctuary.

His kind words echo my thoughts about the sanctuary and its place in our community. When I volunteered nearly five years ago, I did not expect to see the type of care and devotion that is lavished on each animal.

There are more elderly chimpanzees housed on the sanctuary property than at any other facility in the country, according to the Great Ape Project Census. Not a bad statistic since there are only 21 chimpanzees at the sanctuary at this time.

When you have chimps born in 1944, 1948 and earlier, and they are still living a healthy, content life, someone must be doing something right. I attribute it to exemplary care, lots of personal attention and a good health care plan administered by our volunteer veterinarians, physicians and dentists.

The U. S. Department of Agriculture Aphis Division has chosen not to adhere to its own statement, which says that Animal Care provides leadership for determining standards of humane care and treatment of animals, and that Animal Care implements those standards and achieves compliance through inspection, education and cooperative efforts.

The sanctuary holds a license to exhibit the animals for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

An application for a USDA license to exhibit animals was submitted a few years ago, and the agency has chosen to fight the application - never mind that no one from the agency has come to inspect the animals or their facilities.

Our volunteer attorney is still struggling through all the paperwork and appeals.

License or no license, these animals will continue to live out the rest of their lives on the sanctuary property.

The sanctuary will continue to run a youth and senior program. The sanctuary will continue to operate on donations and fundraisers.

And one day, the community may once again visit its favorite animals.

Thank you, Mr. Derer, for your kind words.

Jan Stiffler, Clearwater

Your voice counts

You may submit a letter to the editor for possible publication through our Web site at www.tampabay.com/letters, or by faxing it to (727) 445-4119, or by mailing it to Letters, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. You must include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.

[Last modified January 23, 2007, 07:10:43]