Mind the gap

The state’s proposal to replace the Naples Causeway drawbridge on Route 302 with a fixed span is ridiculous and would impact anyone needing to navigate a sailboat or large motorboat through the Causeway.

More importantly, it would have a ripple effect on local marinas and the summer recreation economy in Naples by limiting activities on the water, a blow the whole region can little afford as the benefits of Naples tourism are felt through all our communities.

The fixed span, which would rise 12 feet off the water making it difficult for boaters to navaigate under the Causeway, could also signal the end of the beloved Songo River Queen hosting cruises on both sides of the Causeway. If the bridge were built, Frank Gerrish and his historic paddleboat would therefore have to choose Long Lake or the Songo/Brandy side. The tradition of cruising through the Songo Locks up to Brandy Pond and into Long Lake is a part of “Maine, The Way Life Should Be,” and changing it would be a sorry and unnecessary blow.

Now that the Maine Department of Transportation has made its plans known regarding the bridge, local leaders should condemn the proposal and do what they can to reverse it. Residents should speak out against it at a public hearing on the proposal scheduled for Jan. 30 and write letters to the department as well as their state representatives and senators condemning the fixed bridge proposal.

To their credit, the Department of Transportation has a valid reason for proposing the fixed span: it’s cheaper. The department is currently replacing 18 bridges a year but needs to ratchet that number up to 30 replacements per year to keep pace with Maine’s deteriorating infrastructure. A pivoting bridge at the Causeway would cost $18 million compared to a cheaper fixed span at $7 million. That’s quite a bit of savings, but it’s a perfect example of “penny wise and pound foolish” since the loss of tourism dollars (and resulting payroll, income and sales tax that would be generated) would negate any upfront savings.

Make them pay

The news of the Schoolhouse Arts Center in Sebago Lake Village being vandalized to the tune of $28,000 in damages was one of the saddest shocks in recent memory. The thought that someone would carry out destructive acts over a holiday weekend at such a historically important building as the old Standish High School and against such a community-minded group as the Schoolhouse Arts Center still boggles the mind.

Thankfully, last Friday, police caught two youth they say caused the damage. Kudos to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department for their work. The onus is now on the judicial system to issue meaningful punishment. The level of vandalism, which included attempted arson, went beyond mere childish pranks and should be dealt with seriously.

If the judge in the matter needs an idea for sentencing, here’s one: The two kids should each pay $1,000 in cash every year for the next 14 years to the Schoolhouse. Since they caused $28,000 of damage, they should deposit the money directly into the Schoolhouse’s bank account. That plus counseling, community service at the Schoolhouse and time at Long Creek should repay their debt to the Standish community as well as teach them the life lesson that society doesn’t tolerate such acts.