<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">Courtesy of today's (January 19, 2013) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with a special thanks to Joann Muneta.</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">-------------------------------------</div><div><iframe src="http://stats-newyork1.bloxcms.com/dnews.com/?title=More%20answers%20needed%20from%20ITD%20-%20Moscow-Pullman%20Daily%20News%3A%20Opinion%3A%20joann%20muneta%2C%20letter%2C&referrer=http%3A//dnews.com/opinion/article_54d5e011-2fb6-532a-9ef4-030bffbeda85.html&domain=dnews.com&uri=/opinion/article_54d5e011-2fb6-532a-9ef4-030bffbeda85.html%3Fmode%3Dprint" width="0" height="0" frameborder="0" style="text-align: -webkit-auto; outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 0px; height: 0px; "></iframe><h1 style="text-align: -webkit-auto; outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; background-image: none; "><font size="3"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">More answers needed from ITD</span></font></h1><p style="text-align: -webkit-auto; outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; background-image: none; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Recent letters to the editor about the Idaho Transportation Department's proposed rerouting of U.S. Highway 95 have been highly disappointing.</span></p><p style="text-align: -webkit-auto; outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; background-image: none; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It is unfair and misleading to blame those interested in our environment for errors and omissions made by ITD. No one in our community advocated waiting 10 years to reconsider the highway issue. Let's acknowledge everyone has now, and has had, safety as a primary concern.</span></p><div class="encrypted-content" style="outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; "><p style="text-align: -webkit-auto; outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; background-image: none; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Step one is to find out if E2 is indeed safer given the higher elevation of that route, which can lead to more ice, snow and fog. Other ITD claims for choosing E2 don't seem to be reasonable - such as saying E2 is better because it is shorter, when there is only .09 of a mile difference between the two routes.</span></p></div><div class="encrypted-content" style="outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; "><p style="text-align: -webkit-auto; outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; background-image: none; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After safety, it is necessary to consider other issues including the integrity of Paradise Ridge, one of Moscow's treasured landmarks, as well as the well-being of the irreplaceable native Palouse Prairie and local flora and fauna. Ten years ago, I attended every public meeting, focus group and monthly breakfast meeting held by ITD on this subject.</span></p></div><div class="encrypted-content" style="outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; "><p style="text-align: -webkit-auto; outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; background-image: none; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Many questions were asked by concerned residents, not all of whom were environmentalists. Very few received answers. I continually requested a rendering of what E2 route would look like from Moscow looking south at Paradise Ridge. This never materialized.</span></p></div><div class="encrypted-content" style="outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; "><p style="text-align: -webkit-auto; outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; background-image: none; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hopefully ITD will favor us with this look into the future they are advocating for us.</span></p></div><div class="encrypted-content" style="outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; "><p style="text-align: -webkit-auto; outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; background-image: none; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Given that we are now a corridor for megaloads and increasing truck traffic, we deserve to know how the ITD plan will affect our community.</span></p></div><div class="encrypted-content" style="outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; "><p style="text-align: -webkit-auto; outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; background-image: none; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We also need to know how safety will be assured on the current Highway 95 when it continues to be used after the new highway is built. We deserve answers, not blaming.</span></p></div><div class="encrypted-content" style="outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; "><p style="text-align: -webkit-auto; outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; background-image: none; "><strong style="outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: 700; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Joann Muneta</strong></p></div><div class="encrypted-content" style="outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; "><p style="text-align: -webkit-auto; outline: 0px; float: none !important; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; background-image: none; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow</span></p></div></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">-------------------------------------<br><br><div>Seeya round town, Moscow, because . . .</div><div><br></div><div>"Moscow Cares"</div><div><a href="http://www.MoscowCares.com">http://www.MoscowCares.com</a></div><div> </div><div><div>Tom Hansen</div><div>Moscow, Idaho</div><div> </div></div><div><div> </div></div></div></body></html>