The carcass of a crushed animal still layed between lanes on the westbound side of Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge on Wednesday, Jan. 19. Marchers had to avoid it.
We mentioned two years ago – the last time that there was a march – that the bridge needed cleaning.
Effort has gone into protecting the public from traffic during the marches. The westbound lanes are blocked at the intersection of East Highway 80 and Cockerell Drive, then at the highway’s intersection with North Treadaway Boulevard.
Before getting there, the hundreds who march turn around and return to the former Woodson school in eastbound lanes.
So, the police are doing their part of making this a safe and enjoyable 30 or so minutes.
This even without the chief being part of the march. Stan Standridge marched, as does Marcus Dudley Jr., his successor who is just beginning his second year.
But what is noticed is how the gutters are full of trash and debris. In years past, some of that has been on the road.
Debris is visible alongside the roadway.
You could blame our dry weather, saying a good, hard rain would clean the streets.
But the point is, why not send the city’s street sweeper back and forth to tidy the gutters? Those should be maintained anyway.
Besides, when there is a downtown park event, such as the Children’s Art & Literacy Festival, the grass gets mowed, edged and swept.
Those marching west, looking at the downtown skyline, talking with the person next to them or singing, suddenly had to veer from their rambling path.
Why?
There was a dead cat in the road. Flattened like a cartoon character.
It might have been funny, considering those stepping away were members of the Abilene Christian Wildcats football team.
But it emphasized the city’s lack of preparation for the event. The community saw, up close, the condition of the bridge. The group included the mayor and at least one other City Council member.
March organizer Michael T. Royals has lamented the lack of city leaders and ministers at the event.
Royals twice was pushed up and over the bridge. His wheelchair had to veer from the cat, too.
A tree grows from the pavement on Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge.
So, on the to-do list for the 2023 march, besides ordering the darn near-perfect weather that we had this year, should be a sweep of the bridge.
There was a lot of pride shown.
Too bad that didn’t include our city streets.
Abilene Reporter News
