LETTERS: DEAD WEIGHT ON BRIDGE IS DANGEROUS

To the editor:

I am writing about something that has bothered me for quite some time but really bothers me now even more. As you know, they are working on the Mississippi River bridge, and rightly so. I am proud they are checking the bridge so often and working to keep it open.

However, my question is this, and I hope someone can answer me: Why, if this bridge is in poor condition and the speed limit is now 25 mph, which I agree with completely, do they insist on stopping traffic on the bridge?

I know that most if not all motorists do not like sitting on this bridge. Dead weight is far worse than moving weight. I used to drive an 18-wheeler, and I know the weight they can be carrying. I also remember being in Louisiana and being stopped because of bridge repair. I asked the fellow stopping us why they were doing this. He said that dead weight was the reason. When the one lane opened for us, they spaced the traffic to keep from putting too much dead weight on all at once.

It made sense to me, and this was an interstate bridge. Please stop stopping us on this bridge. A lot of fine people cross this bridge, and none of us wants to see it closed. But we don't want to see what the bottom of the Mississippi River looks like either.

And while your are at it, city planners, close the street at the end of the bridge. What a dangerous situation this is. One block up is a wide street and lots of room for all. Where are your heads on this? All it would take is a few signs, and a major traffic problem could be solved.

CYNTHIA J. WILLIAMS

Olive Branch, Ill.