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The rejected Alternate B–the bypass bridge alternative–from the Balboa Park Master Plan.

Alternate B is very similar to the Sanders/Jacobs plan

As you can see, the bypass bridge idea is not new. What is new is the idea of amending the Balboa Park Master Plan–as the Mayor wants to do–with an alternative that has already been rejected from that Master Plan.

In all my years in San Diego I have never known of a major civic project based on a previously rejected plan. The Mayor’s plan for Balboa Park was pulled from the scrap heap of bad ideas.  The rejected “Alternate B” of the Balboa Park Master Plan–the bypass alternative–was evaluated through a careful vetting process that not only included planners, but City staff, and members of the community. It was tossed out by each and all.

It was rejected for four major reasons.

1. For its severe impact both visually and architecturally to a National Register Historic District. Wow–consideration was actually given to Balboa Park as a historic resource. The current proponents never frame their arguments with that consideration because they keep pressing forward with the obvious impacts that were so clear then and certainly glaringly obvious now.

2. It was rejected because of the pedestrian conflict that will occur on the south east portion of the Cabrillo Bridge where traffic turns to cross the bypass.

3. The visual and environmental impacts to Palm Canyon.

4. The very poor cost to benefit ratio. The money being poured into a massive infrastructure project so heavily laden with cutting, grading, concrete, asphalt, and retaining walls would be better spent on improving the park itself–with its $250 million deferred maintenance cost.