Dear Editor,

I'm writing to protest what appears to be slanted journalism in a headline story of the Redwood Times by Susan Gardener: “Supervisors Tour Richardson Grove Roadway Alignment” which appeared in their Jan. 12 issue. Copying much of its information directly from the Caltrans web site, Gardener's article makes no mention of the serious opposition to the Caltrans project posed by such groups as Save Richardson Grove, EPIC and Humboldt Forest Defense.

Unless one happened to be otherwise informed, readers would not have the slightest inkling that there were any (much less, serious) criticism of the proposed road widening, euphemistically called “roadway alignment.” This is just plain bad journalism. Hopefully, the Times will now give equal time and space to other sides of the story. In the meantime, those interested can google www.saverichardsongrove.com.

Appearing concurrently with Gardener's article was an alarming report by Public Works Director Tom Mattson (The Independent. 1/12), presenting a plethora of evidence that the public roads system in Humboldt County, and even in the entire state, is on the verge of collapse because of deteriorating roads and the fiscal crisis.

If Mattson's information is correct, and there are ample reasons to believe it is, this in itself ought to be sufficient reason for halting the Caltrans Richardson Grove project, and here's why.

Reliable evidence shows that large trucks are overwhelmingly responsible for pavement damage. For example, a recent Department of Transportation document reveals that “a 20,000-pound single axle consumes 1,000 times more pavement life than a 2,000-pound single axle.” (source: www,sdot.com/docs/SDDOT_Truck Briefing_2d.pdf). The trucks (STAA) that stand to gain access through this project weigh upwards of 75,000 pounds!

Therefore, one might reasonably conclude that instead of improving transportation in Humboldt County, the CalTrans project, opening the road to larger trucks, would greatly increase the damage to our roads, contributing--to use Mattson's phrase, “to the collapse of the entire roadway system in California.” Come on, guys. As Obama says, “Connect the dots.” Look where this is leading. Is this what we want?

Jefferson Parson

Garberville