March 06, 2008
Thursday PM

I see some folks have not given up on a bridge. The reason Juneau and Sitka didn't have a problem with a bridge, was because they don't have an international waterway running between Revilla and Gravina. Also they connected to DEVELOPED communities, or to an out of the way airport. How many airplanes do you think will end up being "caught" by this bridge, or how many tugs with tows will get hung up on this bridge? Seems this has happened in San Francisco, when a huge ship side swiped one of the Golden Gate bridge supports.

There are plenty of large water craft to load supplies and rolling stock onto to get across to develop Gravina, although I don't know why someone wants to live in the flight path of several jets a day taking off and landing. The point being, DEVELOP Gravina first, then maybe you'll get your stupid bridge over to your stupid airport. The airport should have never been built there in the first place. Now you have to live with it.

As to the airport ferry, it should be expanded to go to Pennock (sorry Donnie). When I was down visiting relatives, my brother and his family came up from Seattle to visit. I picked them up, and returned on the same ferry, no waiting. The return trip was just as easy, I dumped them off, and returned on the same ferry. No waiting, just knowing how to time the ferry. So your argument about needing a bridge to access the airport doesn't wash with me, and I'm guessing a lot of other folks in Ketchikan.

Would you like to go back to the old days and have to take a Goose or PBY over to Annette? I guess it would be Beavers and Otters now. Like Donnie says, this is my opinion, and I have been against a bridge for over 25 years.

Stephen Smeltzer
Juneau, AK

About: "45 some odd year resident of Ketchikan now living in Juneau."

Received March 05, 2008 - Published March 06, 2008

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