Thank you for saying it like it really is in your commentary regarding Pine Grove (Feb. 24, "Hot water"). However, there is one segment in your statement that leaves out the option that we believe is best for the town and will eventually be the most sensible. I'm also not sure what you meant in your statement when you said, "... widen Highway 88 and relocate Pine Grove or bypass the town, which I have been told is really not an option due to costs."

We believe that moving a few organizations/businesses will be the best option to simply manage the traffic along the corridor: 1) move the school to the Aqueduct location; 2) transpose the existing school location into a town square, city government center or community center; 3) move the Post Office to a different location, such as Aqueduct, Pine Grove Bluffs Center, Tabeaud/88 or ?; 4) move Aces Waste, Ace Hardware, Jackson Tire and ATI to a 47-acre parcel at the northeast corner of Tabeaud/88; 5) create a four-way signaled intersection at Volcano/88. Even though these option elements are not the typical Caltrans "grading and paving"-type project, it should still qualify for the allotted funding, especially if we get community support.

I believe if you have a conversation with Charles Field of Amador County Transportation Commission, you will find that he will tell you that the bypass is not a realistic option given the extensive costs, and that it could hurt business profits and is therefore no longer an option. I believe we will soon find that a five-lane widening of the corridor is not popular given its significant intrusiveness to the town, and that it will still fail to manage traffic in and out of the school.

I feel it would be a crying shame if an option of doing nothing ends up being the decision for Pine Grove. I would hate to see potentially $40 million sent to another community far away. Now is the time for our community to rally together and make the right decision for the future and safety of the children, the motorists and the general public. I hope you will continue to follow what we are calling a "traffic management project" for the Pine Grove-Highway 88 corridor. I also hope we can have your support as the future plan for Pine Grove continues to unfold.