I  have lived in Jefferson County for 74 years. I go across the bridge often, but I never go from the Paradise Bay Road onto the bridge. It is too dangerous. I go out Oak Bay Road until Beaver Valley Road and then to the stop signs at 104. You can see a long way from the left and right, especially since they put the left turn from the bridge much deeper so you can see the cars coming. Of all the ideas for the problem at Paradise Bay Road and Shine Road, the roundabout is by far the stupidest. With thousands of cars coming from both ways every hour and maybe 20 cars in an hour from the two county streets trying to go on the bridge, the roundabout is not the simplest way to deal with it. I have two simple ways to deal with it.

1. Put up a sign saying the cars are not allowed to turn left either from Shine Road or Paradise Bay Road. Simple. End of story.

2. At both streets, put up a barrier to make sure the cars cannot turn left. Again, end of story.

Keep in mind that most of the drivers coming on Paradise Bay Road are older. Or they don’t have a lot of driving experience. The left turn should not be allowed. We do not need a roundabout.

I agree with plans to make the stop at 104 from Beaver Valley safer. But it is already much safer than the left turns from Paradise Bay and Shine Road.

There are 17,000 cars a day on 104 going across the bridge - both ways. Who will have problems with a roundabout?

1. Trucks. First they have to slow down to about 15, then they have to go through the speeds to go up the hill. A lot of ruined transmissions will be the result.

2. Vehicles going back and forth to Indian Island and Bangor. I wasn’t able to get in touch with someone from Indian Island. But I will go out there tomorrow to find someone.

3. Visitors towing a trailer or a boat. Again, getting all slowed down and then pulling things up that hill is bad for the vehicles pulling. And there is no reason to have the roundabout.

I know a roundabout slows things up. The one in Port Townsend slows cars up back a long way, especially when the mill changes shifts or when the ferry comes in. Again, there are few coming from north and south - most are on Highway 20.

I think closing the lane is the best way to make it safe. Do not send them on Teal Lake Road - that turn is equally as dangerous. How much longer is the way from Beaver Valley and 104? I tested it. From Port Ludlow, it is five minutes longer. Big deal. It will save lives.

I don’t know what “feasibility study” the DOT did. Probably the same one they did for Highway 16 when it meets I-5. It has always been dangerous and even with all the changes in the last years, it is still dangerous. Don’t do this to us.

Barbara Blowers, Port Townsend

(Barbara Blowers graduated from Port Townsend High School and Washington State University, taught high school in Washington, Alaska and Japan and is a realtor at Waves Waterfront Properties.)