Bridge guardrails too low

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To the Editor:

Last week, while driving over the Bourne Bridge, I saw the plaque “1933-1935.” I wondered if the new Beach Road bridges would have a similar plaque, 2009-2011.

If one were to judge in sheer tonnage of steel and concrete, by those standards, the construction of the Bourne Bridge could have possibly lasted 10 years. However, it really isn’t fitting to compare the two projects without careful consideration.

I do have to say that in the past two years I never saw one familiar Island face on that construction crew. I would think that some Island residents could handle a wheel barrow or a rake well enough to qualify for a position. Obviously, hiring Island residents didn’t appear to have any precedence.

Well, that said, my real concern for these new “beach bridges” came as I watched a group of Asian bicyclists Saturday afternoon. When they stopped for a “Kodak moment” on the “jumping bridge,” a very gruesome event nearly took place. While the students lined up with backs against the “jumping rail,” in order to have the beach in the background, the photographer, a female, backed up to capture all of her friends. However, as she backed up, she “bumped” into the guard rail closest to the road and nearly fell backwards onto the pavement. She was actually lucky because by my angle the top of the guard rail was just below her knees.

It’s not clear if both bridges will be 100 percent complete by Memorial Day weekend, but I do hope that they raise those guard rails up to a height where no one, especially young children, might fall onto the road in the path of oncoming traffic. One such accident would be too many.

Ken Lay

Edgartown