Editor in chief: Tim Pyle
Newsroom: (541)346-5511
Room 300, Ert) Memorial Union
P.O. Box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403
E-mail: ode@oregon.uoregon.edu
On-line edition: www.dailyemeraldcom
Damn This jrafficjam
The Ferry Street Bridge’s endless reconstruction
has become a Eugene staple
Eugene is known for many
things — the original Sat
urday Market, trees, track
and field, greenness,
pollen, microbrews, activists,
drugs, rain, hippies and, of
course, the University and its
aura and accomplishments.
But what is the first thing that
strikes any out-of-town visitor en
y V i
tering Eugene from the usual di
rection?
As one veers off the Beltline
and toward the city center, it is
impossible to miss.
It is incessant — at least since
I’ve been in town — and slower
than a Sunday afternoon.
What, you ask?
You should know, but perhaps
you’ve become so used to it that
you forget.
I’m talking about the tangled
web of construction that en
gulfs any automobile as it
purrs into town.
The Ferry Street Bridge
seems to be a graveyard of
construction parts with
cones here, steel beams there
and other parts everywhere
that either never move or are
quickly replaced.
And each time I roll by,
nothing much appears to
be getting done.
Sure, there are
l
ers outfitted in hard hats and
neon orange vests, but only one of
them seemingly works while the
others stand around watching
and shouting encouragement like
they’re on the bench at a basket
ball game.'
When I return to Eugene years
down the road to visit my old un
dergraduate stomping grounds, I
fully expect to drive into town
and find the Ferry Street Bridge
still “under construction.”
Anything else would be shock
ing. In fact, I would probably
think I was entering the wrong
town for a confusing moment or
two.
Then I would shrug it off as a
sign that times have drastically
changed in Eugene since I was a
Duck.
Maybe the problem is that the
University has hired away all
the productive construction
workers in town to build the
new law school and add on to
Esslinger.
Whatever the case, it seems
slightly ludicrous to me that those
two projects will be completed
light years ahead of the Ferry
Street Bridge.
Yeah, the bridge’s recon
struction has become as much
of a Eugene institution as Frog,
The Glenwood Restaurant and
Spencer’s Butte.
Oh well — it makes for a
great tourist distraction,
doesn’t it?
Tim Pyle is the Emerald's edi
tor in chief. He can be
reached via e-mail at
ode@oregon. uoregon. edu.
Opinion
Editorial Cartoons
********
COKTRKRY To MHllM* G^NICN,
fe rnss^Gt \s Qurrt ciem
0regoit*W€meraUr
The Oregon Daily Emerald is published daily Monday through Friday during the
school year and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer by the Oregon Daity Emer
ald Publishing Co. Inc., at the University ot Oregon, Eugene, Oregon. A member of the
Associated Press, the Emerald operates independently of the University with offices in
Suite 300 of the Erb Memorial Union. The Emerald is private property. The unlawful re
moval or use of papers is prosecutable by law.
NEWSROOM — (S4D346-SSH
Editor in chief: Tim Pyle
Associate Editors: Jack Clifford, Mirjam Swanson
Reporters: Sara Jarrett, Sara Lieberth
Webmaster Broc Nelson
Paginator Broc Nelson
Photo Editor: Catharine Kendall
ADVERTISING — (S4l)ti6-SS11
Becky Merchant, director
Melissa O’Connell, Van Nguyen, advertising assistants.
Rachelle Bowden, Brian Diamond, Dan Hageman, Jesse
Long, Adam Rice, advertising sales representatives
CLASSIFIEDS — (541) S46-4V43
Trina Shanaman, manager
BUSINESS — (S4l)tt6-SS12
Judy Riedl, general manager
Kathy Carbone, business supervisor
Melissa O’Connell, receptionist
Roni Goldbeck, Michael Higgins, John Long, distribution
PRODUCTION — (541) ^46-4^81
Michele Ross, manager. Tara Sloan, coordinator