No evidence Route 36 bridge is unsafe I read the panic letter about the Highland/Sea Bright bridge ("Bridge collapse could be played out on Route 36," Aug. 8), and felt compelled to respond. In my opinion, we should wait for a true, non-biased examination of the bridge. So far no weight restrictions have been placed on the bridge, which, as I understand it, is one of the first things done by the DOT if there is serious concern for the condition of the bridge. To dismiss the concerns of so many people by using aesthetics as the only basis for concern is a terribly slanted, maybe even abusive, dismissal of others' reasons for action. My main concern is for the safety of drivers in inclement weather. How can a bridge that rises and descends quickly from a minimum height of 65 feet in a short distance be safe in icy weather? An up-to-date replacement, should it be required, of the existing bridge with a similar bridge would seem to me to best fit the parameters for year round safety. The vehicular safety record of the present bridge is excellent. Think about fog on a bridge like the one proposed. After all, summer is fairly short. Freezing rain, sleet, and snow that lingers for days are more of a concern for year round residents than the inconvenience of a bridge opening for a few minutes. Even in summer there are causes for slick roads, especially when it rains after a prolonged dry spell. The water releases the oily slick residue that motor vehicles leave on the road bed and here we go sliding again-it could be you sliding into the driver ahead of you. That means a rear end collision. Think about that! Let's proceed with caution, not condemnation. Patricia Stilwell Fair Haven