Let's hope bridge disaster is a catalyst for action

Regarding "Freeway Bridge Collapses" (Aug. 2): The bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis on Wednesday killing a yet-to-be determined number of people was a tragedy; let's hope it also will be a wake-up call. As the presidential primaries loom on the horizon and as both political parties are holding their presidential debates, the issue of the country's infrastructure needs to become a focus point.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the bridge was rated as "structurally deficient" two years ago based on information provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Bridge Inventory database. Certainly, and sadly, this was not an isolated incident. According to a fact sheet published in May by the Washington-based TRIP, a national transportation research group, "USDOT estimates that the current backlog of unfunded but needed road, highway and bridge repairs and improvements is $461 billion." It goes on to say that "26 percent of America's bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete."

The event that occurred in Minneapolis was a tragedy. We can hope, though, that it will be the catalyst needed to create both a public dialogue on the state of the country's infrastructure as well as the political will to provide the resources needed to address the issue before another tragedy occurs.

JEFF WORKMAN
Forest Hills

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Priorities in disarray

What a tragedy. We build new stadiums, arenas and casinos because there is money to be made, yet the infrastructure of our country is crumbling. The bridge collapse in Minneapolis could be only the beginning based on the condition of our aging roads and bridges.

Our leaders speak about the "war on terror," and we spend billions on Iraq with no positive end in sight. We scrimp on the care we provide our returning soldiers. We have millions without basic health care.

Whether death results from a plane crashed into a building, poisoned food from China or domestically grown, natural disasters like Katrina or inadequate health care -- dead is dead. What will it take before we get our priorities in order and stop looking for the quick and easy fix?

MARY ANN MEADER
Crafton Heights

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The fight isn't over

I am replying to your July 29 editorial "Victory for Reason" about the decision striking down Hazleton's ordinance concerning illegal immigrants living there.

Many of those living illegally in Hazleton have no intention of working. Drugs and related crimes have stretched the local police and hospital to the limit. Longtime, retired residents are afraid to leave their homes in certain areas of the city. Those who could, have moved to nearby towns to be safe. However, the population has gone up and the tax base has gone down. The school system is also challenged. Illegals do not pay taxes.

Your editorial makes a good point in that there would be a lot of confusion if each municipality had its own ordinance. I agree the situation has become critical because the federal government has failed to enforce immigration laws, and those in power have no intention of doing so.

You characterize Mayor Louis Barletta as a small-minded politician. The people in Hazleton see him as a concerned public official trying to protect his town. In fact, in a town registered 2:1 Democratic, Republican Barletta was written in 2:1 by Democrats and got 94 percent of the Republican vote in the May primary.

Also, you fail to mention U.S. District Judge James Munley's decision is only the first round; no matter which side he came down on, the issue will go to a higher court. The issue will not be resolved until it gets to the U.S. Supreme Court.

RICHARD WILDEN
Greensburg

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Speaking of 'unfair'

In "I-80 Toll Fight Taking Alternate Route to D.C." (July 28), you quote Reps. Phil English, R-Erie, and John Peterson, R-Venango, as saying that it's not fair for people in the northern, rural areas of the state to pay tolls to support mass transit in urban areas like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Yet when the Mon-Fayette Expressway was only partially implemented, no one asked us whether we wanted to pay tolls; they just put them in. Fair enough. But the road is still not completed, so we in the southern rural areas pay tolls for the privilege of being dumped onto ancient Route 51 and its traffic.

Just because people in the northern tier have enjoyed the luxury of being able to travel effortlessly for free should not constitute a permanent entitlement to that preferential treatment. Reps. English and Peterson need to get out a little more and look around before they start whining about what's "fair."

DUANE GALENSKY
Beallsville

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Sharing the load

If state representatives from rural Pennsylvania are concerned that instituting a toll on I-80 to fund transit solutions in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh is unfair to their home districts, let them be aware that at last census, 7,459,626 of Pennsylvania's 12,281,054 citizens -- more than 60 percent -- lived in these two metropolitan areas.

Pennsylvania's urban centers are the engines of its economy and are home to the majority of the businesses and residents whose taxes subsidize the entire state's physical infrastructure.

Transit is central to attracting and retaining businesses, jobs and investment in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Is tolling I-80 to support effective, environmentally friendly, socially equitable, economically profitable transportation especially beneficial to these two areas? Sure. But if Pittsburgh and Philadelphia taxpayers paid much, if not most of the bill for highways through distant parts of the state they rarely see, shouldn't those areas return the favor?

ANDREW MACURAK
South Side

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About yield signs

I read with interest Christopher D. Aubrecht's letter ("Speeding Itself Is Not the Main Cause of Car Accidents," July 23) and agree with most of what he had to say. As the former mayor of Green Tree and the individual responsible for the community's police department, I was confronted with many accidents that occurred at the Green Tree cloverleaf. The primary cause was due to the placement of "yield" signs on the Parkway West entrance ramps that happen to be, as in many cases along both the Parkway West and East, both acceleration and deceleration ramps. This is a major design flaw and a constant accident-prone situation.

As mayor, I convinced PennDOT after many months of debate and many accidents to replace the yield signs with double stop signs. Our accidents at the two Parkway West ramps in Green Tree were greatly reduced. The problem is that most drivers believe that "yield" means the same as "merge." Therein lies a major problem. Fortunately, most drivers do know what a stop sign means. If one were to take note of all the intersections that are "regulated" by yield signs, I guarantee there is a high incidence of fender benders and worse.

JOHN R. BONASSI
Green Tree

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We investigate and act on every abuse allegation

The tragic events regarding the Booth family ("Elizabeth Twp. Girl Charged in Dad's Killing," July 31) have generated highly charged responses. I want to make it clear that no person in human services hears about such a situation without profound concern and empathy.

We are dedicated to protecting children from abuse and neglect, teaching parenting skills, assisting with basic needs, providing employment and education supports and providing mental health and substance abuse services. And we work diligently to raise awareness to keep abuse from happening in the first place.

We are mandated by law to protect children from abuse. These laws dictate what constitutes child abuse, under what circumstances child welfare must intercede and what we can and cannot discuss. Confidentiality laws that protect families who benefit from the services we offer through child welfare consequently legally prohibit us from disclosing any information about a family's situation. But be assured, every allegation of suspected abuse is investigated and acted upon. Every one.

Since we cannot monitor every home every hour of every day, we rely on the individuals who are mandated by law to report cases of suspected abuse, as well as others such as neighbors, friends and family members. Anyone with a suspicion that a child is being maltreated can report the abuse anonymously and without legal liability at ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313 or by calling 911.

For those who are interested, we invite you to read an Overview of Key CYF Philosophies, Practices and Procedures found at www.county.allegheny.pa.us/dhs/cyfoverview.aspx.

MARC CHERNA
Director
Allegheny County Department of Human Services
Downtown

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