Don’t sacrifice safety for lower taxes
An SUV is removed Monday from the Skagit River where the Interstate 5 bridge span collapsed. Barges carrying heavy cutting and lifting equipment also retrieved a truck and a travel trailer that fell into the river Thursday after an overheight truck load damaged the span. (Marcus Yam / The Seattle Times)
As I watch the news stories on the Skagit River bridge collapse, the first thing that occurs to me is that in this state, we have let our infrastructure dangerously deteriorate [“Probe shifts underwater in collapse of I-5 bridge,” page one, May 28].This is not some Podunk little bridge that collapsed; it is I-5: our major north-south corridor; the artery that moves commerce through our state; the lifeline.
Yet, for a few dollars off our car tabs, people are willing to risk it all by depriving the state of the funds to maintain our roads and bridges.
Now that we have come face to face with reality, what are we going to do to prevent future disasters of this nature? There are many aging bridges in this state. Clearly, we need to address their safety.
Cynthia Samuel-Zulch, Clyde Hill