Homer Alaska - Letters

In regard to a letter last week concerning DOT plowers not lifting their blades for every driveway: All I have to say is "Wow." The DOT of Homer has more than 300 lane miles of road with more than 2,000 driveways that have to be plowed before 7 o'clock when buses run. This would be a large enough task, but now try doing it with only three men.

As far as the complaint of them not lifting their blades, has the letter writer taken the time to really look at one of these pieces of equipment? They have a fixed blade angle that is made to throw the snow off the road. You're asking them to lift their blades for every driveway, but what happens when they do that? Every time they lift their blade they leave that snow on the road. After every snowfall the snow would pile up halfway across the road in front of each driveway that you've asked them to lift their blades for. In no time at all our roads would look like a moto-cross track made of the snow you've asked them not to plow. Think about it. That's a public road hazard, not just a personal inconvenience.

Instead of taking the time to write your letter you could have helped someone else shovel their driveway out just like I've been volunteering to do. Instead of complaining about the men working 24/7 for your benefit maybe you and your neighbors should consider sending cookies or a thank you card. To the other 99.9 percent of people that do understand DOT's work, I'm sure the crew appreciates your good attitudes and understanding.

With my hat taken off to the DOT,

David Craig

Mile 18 East End Road resident