Design of diverging diamond is incomplete
Let’s discuss the diverging diamond that’s under construction at Fruitville Road and Interstate 75 in Sarasota.
This is not a new concept.
This type of interchange was constructed for I-75 at University Parkway a few years ago.
First, the four-year timeline for construction is excessive.
A project of this scope should take about two years, tops, to complete, especially in Florida where work can proceed year-round.
Construction has begun on the Diverging Diamond Interchange at Fruitville Road and Interstate 75.
Construction projects in Florida are drawn out without any effort taken to maintain clear traffic flows for the public.
A second comment is that this project is for the sole convenience of the Florida Department of Transportation and may make matters worse for local travelers.
The purpose of the diverging diamond is to allow traffic exiting from the interstate to clear the ramps, preventing rear-end accidents.
While this is a great goal, it is done with no consideration for the longer red-light times on Fruitville or the larger volumes of traffic dumped every cycle.
No money is allocated to retime or coordinate signals approaching the interchange.
The result, at University, is heavy backups and long delays on the local street.
The Fruitville design is incomplete without attention to the local traffic both during and after the construction.
John J. LiMarzi, Sarasota
War veterans protest for love of country
In response to the June 19 letter “Demonstrations disrespectful of military,” and the writer’s faulty conclusion – in my opinion – about the “No Kings” protesters, here is another point of view.
An estimated 7,000 people attended the “No Kings” protest June 14 at Sarasota’s Bayfront, one of five locally and thousands nationwide.
I am a member of the Florida Veterans for Common Sense.
Some of our group were at a Sarasota protest specifically because we do respect all of the services.
Unfortunately, I think the letter writer falsely concluded that the parade in Washington was about the Army’s 250th birthday.
It wasn’t.
It was about President Donald Trump’s birthday.
Among those of us at the “No Kings” protest were two Army Vietnam combat vets, two Marine Vietnam combat vets, one Navy Vietnam vet, an Air Force Vietnam combat pilot and an Army Vietnam combat medic.
That medic flew “dustoff” missions and rescued many wounded Marines and Army guys in Quang Tri Province. Today he wears the Silver Star for his heroic actions.
And the Air Force pilot? He was shot down and spent 56 months in a North Vietnamese prison.
Now to me, that doesn’t sound like a bunch of unpatriotic, anti-military guys.
What it sounds like is a bunch of guys who love this country, the Constitution and our democracy.
That is exactly why we protested.
Dave Siegwald, Sarasota
Rachel Maddow and other anchors on MSNBC criticize President Donald Trump on a regular basis. “The Rachel Maddow Show” switched from one night a week back to its former five nights a week during the first 100 days of Trump’s second term.
Ignore media, support Trump’s success
Members of the American media − including newspapers, magazines, TV and online sites − are constantly criticizing President Donald Trump on most every issue that our country faces.
It is very difficult to find any positive news reported on the president.
Why do so many people who are paid large salaries for reporting the news think that they know what is better for the United States than President Trump?
Did any of the news reporters run for office or get elected by the American people?
What gives the media the right to influence people’s thoughts?
President Trump was overwhelmingly elected by the American people.
He has surrounded himself with qualified advisers.
He campaigned on the platform that he is following through on.
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during a meeting with players of the Juventus soccer team in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 18, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
His track record has demonstrated success.
The country and the world will be a better place to live in if people stop demeaning the president and start supporting his efforts.
I understand why the Democratic politicians criticize the president on everything.
They all want power and don’t care how that power is obtained.
But why are people listening to paid media members who have little or no insight into the areas they criticize? America, stop criticizing the president and get behind him!
Mark Collier, Sarasota
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News broadcaster, was one of President Donald Trump’s most controversial Cabinet picks. The Senate voted 51-50 to confirm his nomination, with the vice president casting the tiebreaker. Hegseth has survived several scandals without losing Trump’s support.
Liars rise to top in this administration
It’s worth noting that Fox News paid $787.5 million for lying to the American people about the 2020 election.
The Trump administration has hired dozens of people from that same organization who now work for us in the White House.
This, alone, tells us a lot about the values held by our leaders.
Mary Davenport, Punta Gorda
Protesters hold “No Iran War” signs at a rally outside of the White House on June 18. Activists from a range of organizations decried the Israeli bombing of Iran and potential U.S. involvement in the growing conflict.
President appears indecisive and weak
President Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again, “I don’t know,” “Nobody knows” style makes us appear weak and indecisive to Iran and to the world.
It’s not funny.
It’s frightening, and I fault the news media for latching on to these sound bites and catchphrases to grab attention.
They are meaningless except to underscore the lack of direction and leadership that currently exists.
Barbara Weintraub, Sarasota
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Fruitville Road plan may make Sarasota traffic worse | Letters