Sounding Board -- Don McGee

I cruised Pacific Coast Highway the other day from Newport Beach to

home here in Huntington Beach and while going by the Hyatt instinctively

ducked while going under the new pedestrian bridge that has risen like

the wings of a Phoenix over the highway.

At first glance I thought it too low, but after posing this to two of

our councilpersons (who answered with lightning quickness, my how times

have changed!), I was informed that Caltrans had OKd the height. Whew.

An agency with their impeccable safety record surely would not

miscalculate. It is possible that I was just rudely surprised by this

tentacle suddenly appearing, stretched from hotel to beach, and that it

is indeed high enough to accommodate all who traverse this section.

Here’s hoping.

At a cost of $2 million, financed by the Hyatt of course, I would

trust they have done their homework and have not created a boondoggle.

Not exactly sure why it was necessary to build this bridge though.

Even if high enough, it seems oddly out of place and intrusive.

This is just one observer’s opinion, and we all know that opinions,

are like appendix’s, everyone has, or has had one, they are

scientifically superfluous, expendable, can be painful and even cause

death.

Word has it that there are plans for more of these down the road. Or

should I say over the road? Dare I ask why? Dare I say these could also

be appendixes?

Dare I question where Measure C fits into these plans? Given the fact

that the hotels are increasingly blocking our view of the planet’s

greatest treasure, are these born out of necessity or perhaps merely the

aberration of imagination of someone or ones as yet unheralded?

We have already supplied crosswalks, is it possible that these avenues

are too lowly for those from Plains and Plano (Georgia and Texas)? Will

it be a toll bridge for those not registered?

Maybe I am just somewhat phobic about bridges to begin with. I have

never been all that comfortable on them, whether walking or driving. It’s

something that could possibly have to do with relinquishing control over

my environment or some such other psychobabble. Just the kind of hairpin

I am, by gosh, by golly.

There are multitudes doing their levelheaded best to ward off the

ever-increasing pollution of the ocean, but there are far fewer laboring

to quell the visual pollution of projects such as these. Beauty is in the

eye of the beholder, as are eyesores. This one, all but built, is

probably enough and possibly one too many.

I am extremely happy that I am not in the boat moving business as for

a great long time Pacific Coast Highway has been the avenue of choice

because of low-flying overpasses. Now the larger ones will have to zig

zag their way around this latest obstruction, no small feat given the

layout of streets in this area.

Oh well, I guess they will avoid that bridge when they come to it. Bon

voyage.

* DON MCGEE is a Huntington Beach resident.