The Lights at the End of the Avenue

[XLFD]

Our friends at the Facebook-based site, Concerned Locals of Ludington, recently posted a picture of their vehicle approaching the west end of Ludington Avenue during darkness.  Unlike previous years when the only lights present there were highly-elevated street lights, the avenue ends with seven rather harsh white lights as seen below:

These are bollard lights, put in not only to alert drivers that the street is ending at night, but for the protective security of catching drivers not paying attention from driving into and over the new West End Project when people may be there.  The crowds were not there this year, but the City is expected to rent out and host several events in this space in the future.

Ideally, bollards used for protecting open spaces would be set close enough to stop drivers who either are not aware of the road ending or who want to cause mischief by driving through public events, as has happened as close as Chicago in September.  These are not arranged to be a safeguard against either, as the closest together these bollards are is nine feet, the ones on the sides being eleven feet apart, much wider than your typical six foot wide vehicle.

And one does not know whether the engineers of the West End Project used curbs for the same effect, but you can see that the beach has washed all the way up and beyond the curb, making it effectively useless to deter the unaware or mischievous.  Unsurprisingly, the Lake Michigan beach has also claimed much of the project in the off-season, the meticulously landscaped flowerbeds and concrete slabs overran and deluged by the silica, driftwood, and seaweed going further east than they apparently ever expected it would.

It makes one, once again, wonder about the common sense of those who advocated for the West End Project (made up primarily of those who wished to financially benefit from the grant money and those who wished to exploit the area through renting out the public park to private concerns).   Over a half million dollars later, and tens of thousands more every year to maintain, can they honestly claim it was money well spent?

The picture below shows the previous end of the avenue.  Some claim that guardrails with reflecting tape were not what tourists wanted to see at the end of the avenue, whereas few would actually focus on that aspect with the beautiful vista that met the eye beyond it as one approached.  What seems ridiculous to me, in this year of hindsight (2020, get it?), is that they believed bollards, a concrete slab, benches, fake landscaping and pedestrian guardrails would actually be what tourists would prefer.  

And that's only during the daylight.  At night, rather than being able to view the scenic harbor on the approach and drive to the end of the avenue and take a few steps out to the beach, you now have only the view of harsh lights, the harbor is lost to view, dozens of parking spaces are gone forever, and the much longer walk to the beach is compromised by a flood plain.  

This is progress, and said to benefit both residents and tourists.  Michigan is renowned for its natural beauty, in fact this week Tripsavvy, a national travel site revealed that Michigan is the #1 place for outdoor enthusiasts, by their standard of rankings.  

If outdoor enthusiasts are going to be more likely to come to Michigan this year because of this glowing endorsement, what do you think they would rather see in Ludington.  A picturesque, panoramic view of the lake as they drive west on Ludington Avenue and a convenient overlook visible and accessible all the time, or:

During the day:  bollards, pavement, canoe racks, handrails obscuring the end of the street, if it happens to be a day where a pavilion isn't set up for some private party

During the night: dazzling and blinding lights at street level totally obscuring any view of the lake or its wonders.

Please somebody tell me again why anybody wanted to sink a half million to do this so-called improvement when we had a much better and almost maintenance-free situation before?

[Willy]

I agree X. The entire project is a waste of money. Not only from it's construction but also from a maintenance viewpoint. You asked a good question in your last paragraph and I think most people know the answer to it. Greed, graft, cronyism, corruption and a feeling of control and self importance by the people who have controlled Ludington for years. But I think a better question to ask is why the voters keep putting these types of people, over and over into a position of power so they can create stupid projects like the west end and splash park. This west end project money pit is far from done. We will be seeing a crap load of money being spent on a barrier to protect it from the Lake. I predict this barrier will ruin the beach and it's access to it and will be an eyesore and a blight to everyone who loves that part of Ludington. Let's not forget that the Lake Michigan beach property owned by the citizens of Ludington is worth millions of dollars and any use of that property needs to be voted on and approved by the citizens who own it.

[AQUAMAN]

I agree totally Willy, but you are dreaming if you think anything like this project is ever coming up for a vote of the citizens of Ludington, now, or ever into the future. These main people are appointed, and the rest run unopposed for office mostly.

[Willy]

I decided to check out the lights myself and while I was there I met a couple of salesmen from Bollard lights [pictured below]. They said they met Heather and Brandy at a bar in Norton Shores and sold them the lights in exchange for their DNA samples and other services.

[Freedom Seeker]

Hilarious Willy! No wonder the lights are so alien-looking and dangerous blinding at eye-height when driving in that cramped parking lot. Those salesmen must have used sunglasses at night. I'm surprised that MDOT or some governing agency allows those lights that bright at that height.

[XLFD]

[Willy]

It took me a minute to figure it out but when it hit me I couldn't stop laughing. Funny.

[XLFD]

Thanks, your memes often have the same effect on me and serve as inspiration for satire of my own.