EDITORIAL
We’ve all probably been there, at one time or another. It’s a hot,
beautiful summer day and all that’s between you and Main Beach is a
mile-long line of cars, seemingly connected at the bumper. If it’s the
weekend, maybe even two miles long.
Traffic, without a doubt, is a maddening problem here. Now, among the
ideas to ease the congestion -- the tram from the Act V lot is an
excellent one that we hope will be a success this summer -- comes a plan
to build an underground pedestrian tunnel beneath Coast Highway that
would connect the beach to Broadway.
The idea, proposed by Councilwoman Toni Iseman, is yet to be debated
by the City Council, which didn’t get to the proposal at its meeting a
week ago. But already even the thought of an underground passageway has a
number of people stirred up.
Their concerns are understandable. After all, digging a tunnel under
Coast Highway isn’t minor work by anyone’s standards. Still, we are at
least intrigued by Iseman’s proposal. It’s a big solution for a big
problem, one that offers a good, clear place from which to find an
answer.
Whether down proves the right way to go, the council will need to
decide. Flooding would seem to be an obvious problem. And finding the
money for the work would be problem of an entirely different sort.
As they begin looking at the merits of this plan, it would be prudent
for City Hall leaders to listen closely to what residents have to say, as
well, given the scope of the project. They will need solid community
support if they decide to proceed.
They may even hear a few other ideas worth pursuing.
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