To fix congestion, open existing roads

To the editor:

Why should NDOT's concrete ideas (pun intended), as presented by Director Susan Martinovich, deserve lead story status in Saturday's Review-Journal ("Worse congestion predicted")?

Ms. Martinovich proposes reducing traffic congestion through construction of additional lanes, which is in direct contradiction with the views of local elected and appointed officials, who've received accolades and pay raises for the removal of travel lanes.

It may be time to re-consider the many ideas for blocking existing lanes: as with HOV lanes (already disgracing California), lights regulating entrance to freeways resulting in racing from full stop into fast moving traffic (discarded by Atlanta in the 1970s), continued blockage of new freeway entrances and exits pending reconstruction of the adjacent surface streets (some day?), miles and miles of turn lanes blocked with cones warning of construction far ahead, and proposed additional dedicated lanes for infrequent buses.

While we are looking around, let's look at why accidents take so long to clear. The worst picture was the recent motorcycle accident on Interstate 15 that blocked all lanes and trapped motorists for many hours. Surely, some work-around could have been activated.

Are questionable laws or procedures needlessly constraining our police from completing their investigation and prompt clearing of accident scenes?

Richard E. Law

LAS VEGAS

Get real

To the editor:

Your Saturday front-page article quotes Nevada Department of Transportation Director Susan Martinovich requesting that the Nevada Legislature find $450 million more per year to increase highway construction.

That comes out to about $225 per person in Southern Nevada. So each family of four should expect its taxes to go up by about $900 per year if Ms. Martinovich gets her wish.

Those folks up in Carson City must think everyone is Las Vegas has lots of extra cash to ship off to Carson City. Get real.

Andy Anderson

LAS VEGAS

Party handicapping

To the editor:

The Clark County Democratic apparatchik thought their candidate, Hillary Clinton, was the inevitable presidential nominee. Like Sen. Clinton, her local supporters believed she would wrap the whole thing up by Feb, 5.

That's why they picked a venue for the Clark County Democratic Convention that would hold only 5,000 people when more delegates than that had been selected during the Jan. 19 caucus process.

By putting the second county convention off for a couple of weeks, they are betting that the Democratic race for the nomination will end on March 4. As a Barack Obama supporter, I hope they're right this time.

Randy Slovic

LAS VEGAS

Boo birds

To the editor:

I attended the Clark County Democratic Party Convention on Saturday. During the event, Assemblyman Ruben Kihuen of Las Vegas was booed by some attendees in the audience when he was called to the stage. I suspect that this happened because of the assemblyman's endorsement of Sen. Hillary Clinton.

To make things worse, some people chanted the name of their candidate during Mr. Kihuen's speech. Such behavior only emboldens the idea that the Democratic party is immersed in strife.

Alma Rosa Mendoza

LAS VEGAS

Schools and guns

To the editor:

I'm writing about the controversy that has been stirred up with all the gun-related issues in our valley schools lately. I was intrigued to see the controversy over a gun shop located in a strip mall next to Green Valley High School.

Many people have voiced their disapproval of the store owner choosing that location to conduct his business. But he is in compliance with zoning laws, and was given approval to set up shop there.

I want to put this thought out for all those opposed to the gun shop being there. Because guns are becoming more of an issue in our valley schools, and many wish to see that gun store moved, should we look to all the drugstores located near our schools and cry out for them to move because kids increasingly abuse over-the-counter drugs?

Should we cry out for all fast-food restaurants near our schools to move because childhood obesity has become such a big issue?

I would have to say no.

Where are the parents of today's youth? Obviously the parents of such kids are not present or upholding their duties as parents to guide their children to make sound decisions in everyday life, let alone a positive contribution to our society.

If the gun shop should be forced to move, then I say so should the drugstores and fast-food restaurants and anything else a kid could walk past and be tempted to make what others consider the wrong choice.

Brandi Nowak

NORTH LAS VEGAS