Letters to the editor Feb. 13

Roundabouts

I am writing in response to the letter from Jeff Van Fleet who wrote about the proposed roundabout on U.S. 2 at Batavia Lane.  

Roundabouts have been used very successfully for years in Europe, many with multiple lanes and they are not just in town. Having been instrumental in getting the first roundabout built and operating in Montana I know that they save lives and are less expensive to operate than a traffic light.  

Jeff commented that a roundabout doesn’t belong on a high-speed highway. With Smith Valley School right there, it should not be a high-speed anything. 

Kalispell is growing and spreading out. Get used to it people. Higher speeds are going to continue to be pushed farther and farther out. Unfortunately, drivers are in such a hurry these days and simply refuse to be inconvenienced by having to slow down or stop. That’s how accidents and deaths happen.  

How pedestrian movement should be handled at a roundabout is something I don’t have an answer for.  With respect to the suggestion that Montana Department of Transportation just install a stoplight, I don’t believe that will solve the issue. How many crashes with injuries or fatalities happen at a stoplight? It occurs on a daily basis across the country with people trying to beat the light to try and save 1 or 2 minutes.  

I would suggest that the issues with the existing roundabout at Dern-Springcreek and U.S. 2 has more to do with drivers not understanding how they are supposed to use it than it does the design. Let’s all learn to slow down, be courteous, be patient and figure out the proper and legal way to drive through a roundabout. It will allow for smoother traffic flow but, most importantly, lives depend on it.

— Paul Fifield, Condon

Power grab

Our congressional representatives Rep. Ryan Zinke, Sens. Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy are not honoring the pledge that each of them took to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Zinke and Sheehy have taken multiple pledges with their military service. 

Our Constitution specifically spells out that there are three branches of government that can act as checks of abuse of power. Currently President Donald Trump, with his henchman Elon Musk, are massively abusing the power given to the executive branch by the Constitution. Our congressional delegation has not lifted a finger to prevent this illegal power grab. 

Please call your congressional representatives and ask them to protect our Constitution.

— Mary Stranahan, Arlee

Spineless

OK, Sens. Steve Daines, Tim Sheehy and Reps. Ryan Zinke and Troy Downing, you got what you asked for. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that boys are boys and girls are girls. 

Now find your backbones and tell Elon Musk and his teenaged hackers to get out of our Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, student loans and bank accounts. This is a criminal activity and must be stopped.

— Mary Henne, Missoula