LETTER: Think about the extra minutes that are saved

Since most of the comments in your paper are against the proposed viaduct on 23rd Street, I would like to state my opinion.

We have lived in Washington Heights for 17 years. There have been countless times that I have been late for work, doctors appointments, dentists appointment, etc., because of stopped trains.

I have always made it a point to be at work at least 10 minutes or more ahead of my scheduled work time. Still, when you sit sometimes up to 20 minutes for a train or go around and over the viaduct by Sapp Bros. or take Airport Road down to Military Avenue and come back, it takes time.

What about truck drivers and out of town drivers who don’t know of any other way around? They just have to sit and wait.

Appointments and being late to work are still minor compared to lives and precious time lost when an ambulance comes in on Highway 30. Those extra minutes mean a lot to someone having a heart attack or someone bleeding to death because of a car accident.

Two years ago, I had a small child have an accidental fall at my house. He stopped breathing and I held a lifeless child in my arms. The Lord was with us that night and there were no trains blocking 23rd Street.

The ambulance and firemen made it to our house in time to prevent brain injury from loss of oxygen and revived the child.

What do you suppose would have happened if they would have had to go down to Military Avenue and come all the way back?

This is only one example of numerous emergencies that have happened west of town or in the Washington Heights area.

If the only way that the viaduct will come in is to close Linden crossing, what is a little inconvenience compared to human lives being lost or homes lost to fires?

Please voters, stop a minute and think.