Restrict utility digging on newly paved roads

The road condition along Silverdale Way reported in “Silverdale Way too bumpy for some” (Central Kitsap Reporter, July 24) is the result of the lack of long-range planning. Roadway bumps are the result of the impossibility to match evenly with the existing surrounding pavement. This condition happened because utility companies were permitted to excavate roadways to install, repair or do some work on their underground utilities within the period of the roadway pavement’s life span, usually five years.

What is suggested is that the jurisdiction that owns the roadway – state, county or city – initiate a moratorium through ordinance prohibiting utility companies from excavation of the roadway to install, repair, or do some work on their underground utilities within the period of the roadway top surface’s life span.

Prior to re-surfacing a roadway, the jurisdiction concerned must formally inform all utility companies of the forthcoming scheduled re-surfacing project to give them time to install, repair, or do some work on their underground utilities as no permit will be issued to do all these after the project is done.

The jurisdiction must assert its authority by directing all utility companies within their area to coordinate their schedule of underground utility activities with the jurisdiction’s transportation improvement plan.

– Noel C. Sim, retired city engineer, Bremerton.

Invest now for Alzheimer’s cure

Most people in this country are now recognizing the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease but the funding to find a cure lags dramatically behind what’s necessary.

In 2010 Congress unanimously passed legislation that set a goal of finding a treatment for Alzheimer’s by 2025. But National Institute of Health (NIH) research on dementia has not increased to the $2 billion a year level that scientists say is needed.

In fact, for every $100 spent on Alzheimer’s research, Medicare and Medicaid programs spend $26,000 to care for people with the disease. Currently there are 100,000 Washingtonians living with Alzheimer’s disease, and that number will grow to 140,000 by 2025. We must invest more to find a treatment and a cure now.

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a bill giving $350 million more to the NIH for Alzheimer’s research, while the House Committee has voted $300 million. If even the lower figure is signed into law, that would be a 50% increase in research funding for this disease.

I urge Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, as well as Rep. Derek Kilmer, to vote for this vital Alzheimer’s research boost and push to make sure it is in the final appropriations bill enacted into law. We cannot afford to delay funding this crucial research!

– Gail Bosch, Bremerton.