Letters to the Editor for Feb. 6
No Stinson roundabout, please
To the editor:
Your article about the Gig Harbor City Council decision to create a roundabout instead of stoplights at Harborview and Stinson certainly ignores the fact that almost everyone I talk to hates the existing roundabouts. Most people try to avoid these roundabouts and almost everyone has a stories about multiple close calls or actual accidents in the roundabouts.
I am not a civil enginee, but it sure does appear that a roundabout at that location will require a huge long-term construction project with that intersection closed to all traffic. That will be a total disaster for all of the residents who live on the west side of highway 16. A roundabout would most certainly require a much bigger environmental impact (way more land required to accommodate the size of the roundabout versus placement of stoplights).
Gig Harbor is becoming a very popular retirement community and there is no way elderly drivers are going to be able to understand and perform appropriately in a roundabout versus obeying a traffic signal.
There was no mention of the cost difference or the construction duration difference between the two choices. This issue would be best decided by a vote by the citizens with all of the pertinent information presented.
Kevin S. Kennedy
Gig Harbor
The mayor and the memorial
To the editor:
The Fisherman’s Memorial statue in downtown Gig Harbor has become an iconic symbol of our town, but very few folks know how it actually ended up there and whose idea it was.
In 2000, the Gig Harbor Key Peninsula Cultural Arts Commission was a group of community volunteers, headed by Shirley Tomasi, who decided to raise money to erect a memorial to the fishermen of Gig Harbor and partnered with the city for the project. The commission contracted with an artist and in 2002 the statue was donated to the city of Gig Harbor and placed where it stands today.
I was a member of that commission and it has always seemed to me that there should be some kind of recognition for their efforts. I talked with Mayor Kit Kuhn in August of last year and he promised he would look into it. Well, he kept his promise. I am so happy to see there is now a new bronze plaque mounted on the statue which credits the Gig Harbor Key Peninsula Cultural Arts Commission with donating it to the city. The arts commission disbanded shortly after the statue was donated, but I’m very thankful to Mayor Kuhn for following up on my request and finally recognizing the group of volunteers who worked to bring this iconic piece of art to our community.
Barbara Trotter
Gig Harbor
Extending Cushman trail
To the editor:
Appreciated the article in the Gateway about the benefits of shared use trails and and its mention of Gig Harbor’s popular Cushman Trail. I would like to spread the word about the recently completed planning study which determined a “preferred alignment” to connect the Cushman Trailhead at Borgen Boulevard to Kitsap County.
The planning study received both federal and local funds, but more funding will be needed to complete design, permitting and construction of what will certainly be an asset for the region. Information available here: https://www.cushmantrailextention.com/project-updates .
Marlene Druker
Gig Harbor
Kudos to Kids Corner
To the editor:
Compliments to Hugh McMillan and his January 2 story “From butterfly to science lab.” Hugh always does a terrific job in his Kids Corner column of covering the youth of our community, school programs, scout programs, etc. Whatever he writes is top-notch. But this piece stood out because not only did it follow a young girl’s career from elementary through college, but it did that in such a way as to make the reader learn about her chosen field, physiology, while weaving an intriguing story.
Hugh is known and beloved by generations in our community. He has not lost his touch for conveying the qualities that we hope characterize our young people and our schools and organizations that they pass through. I always look forward to his next contribution.
Sincerely,
Marsha J. Williams
Wauna
This story was originally published February 4, 2020 at 12:08 PM.