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.