The crash on Interstate 84 that claimed the life of a Gresham man was a tragedy.
    Monday’s fatality west of Cascade Locks (story, page A6) points in a deeply solemn way to the need for caution at all times while driving, but especially this spring and summer in the Gorge.

Oregon Department of Transportation has reported that record levels of highway and bridge work will happen in 2009 on Interstate 84 and other thoroughfares in the Gorge. Drivers are already used to seeing orange signs, cones and barrels pop up along Oregon’s roads. They will stay that way, and work zones shift as travel lanes, guardrails, and bridges are repaired and upgraded

Gov. Ted Kulongoski proclaimed May as Transportation Safety month — a reminder to Oregonians to do their part in keeping Oregon’s roadways safe.

An average of 465 work zone crashes occur each year. The majority of people injured or killed in these crashes are drivers, passengers or pedestrians, not workers. The single biggest factor in crashes is driver inattention; that’s why orange cones, variable message signs and other tools are used to alert motorists. The other major contributing factor is speed, which is why work zones require lower speed limits.

TripChek.com is just one resource for learning about where highway work is taking place, and other travel planning information. All motorists are urged to find out all they can before setting out, and to use caution at all times while maneuvering the ever-busy, and changing, highway scape.

Vote time

May 19 is almost here

The time to cast your ballot is here.
    The flow of returned ballots for the May 19 special district election is currently a trickle.
    Just over 10 percent of all ballots have been returned to the County Elections office: through Monday afternoon the county has received 1,384 ballots out of 11,446 total.

There are no Senate races on this ballot nor any national campaigns or controversial ballot measures, but it’s an important ballot nonetheless. Races include three contested Port of Hood River Commission races, and one for Port of Cascade Locks, and one seat on the Hood River County School District Board of Directors.

Here are the basics to remember as the May 19 deadline approaches:

Voters must return ballots by 8 p.m. May 19 via mail, or at drop-boxes at the Hood River County building, Sixth and State streets or at Cascade Locks City Hall.

Postmarks do not count, and remember that the postage to return the envelope went up May 11 to 49 cents.

Thank you for voting.