<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>Courtesy of today's (August 26, 2017) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.</div><div><br></div><div>--------------------------------</div><div><br></div><div><div><h1 itemprop="headline" class="headline" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 42px; margin: 0px 100px 0px 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.1; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Letter: Less-than-optimal bridge</span></h1></div><div><br></div><div>The Moscow City Council wants to spend a half a million dollars on a bridge that they hope people won't use.</div><div><br></div><div>Despite the public push for a pedestrian/bicycle bridge connecting Third Street and Mountain View Road that costs around $75,000, the Moscow City Council instead voted to build a motorized vehicle bridge there that will cost over $500,000.</div><div><br></div><div>But when asked about how the bridge might impact the safety of students at Lena Whitmore Elementary School, Moscow City Council member Walter Steed has been telling his constituents that not very many people will use the bridge.</div><div><br></div><div>"The very existence of Lena Whitmore, East City Park, the 1912 Center and High School," Steed said, "will all serve to make it a somewhat less-than-optimal route across town."</div><div><br></div><div>So why is the city spending over half a million dollars to build a bridge on a "less-than-optimal route?" The City is gambling with our children's safety on the taxpayer dime, creating a thoroughfare next to an elementary school and then hoping the children will act as traffic deterrents.</div><div><br></div><div>I am a father of two children who attend Lena Whitmore, and when it comes to my children's safety, I am not particularly moved by the argument that this will help a small section of the town get to the mall slightly faster.</div><div><br></div><div>Russell Meeuf, Moscow</div></div><div><br></div><div>--------------------------------<br><br><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div> </div></div></div></body></html>