Letter to the Editor

More thoughts on roundabouts

Once again about the roundabouts, especially on a state highway that has to-and-from large commercial traffic between California and Nevada.

Here are some more reasons traffic lights would be a better idea:

Costs – remember the original costs? One million for lights and $200,000 for roundabouts? Now look at the costs – two roundabouts for over $5 million?

Construction time – I remember estimates being less for roundabouts yet look at schedule time now. Lights on Highway 160 did not take long.

Traffic use – when lights installed on Highway 160, traffic never was detoured or completely stopped.

Traffic lights are positive with directions. Roundabouts will be dependent on drivers’ actions.

Traffic lights will NOT affect commercial traffic, especially, especially long loads and emergency traffic.

How about the costs to repair detour roads while building roundabouts? None for traffic lights.

Lights won’t require underground utilities to be moved or protected.

Again take a look at the cost and construction times and detour costs to chip seal roads that will be taxpayer funded.

How much taxpayer money is being paid to the businesses for down time and land costs for roundabouts? Surely these costs aren’t in the $5 million-plus construction costs.

I feel we are all being hoodwinked by people who don’t have any skin in the game.

Henry Hurlbut