Monday, August 23, 2010

Yesterday Gone Tomorrow

My friends left Raspberry Island off Acadia in Maine this past Saturday afternoon. Eight hours to Millbrook, New York. A big delay at the Maine Turnpike toll booth. My Uncle Russ said the same thing, only as a true Maine soul he knows the back route across the river from Portsmouth to Maine.

"You know they're planning on tearing down Memorial Bridge."

"What for?" The through-truss lift bridge has been spanning the Piscataqua River for almost 100 years old.

"Cost about as much for a new bridge as repair this one."

"You know that is hooey." I had heard the same crap about the Big Dig in Boston. $17 billion to get 20,000 commuters to their jobs 5 minutes faster. Paying them a million dollars each would have been cheaper.

"New Hampshire seems willing to foot the whole bill. No federal funding either, since the Memorial Bridge is almost listed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

"Probably put up a bridge without any style."

"That's what it looks like."

Another sad day for the past, but then there are too many of them to mention.

No comments: