Replacing a Visual Obscenity

Being born and raised in Bath, I have always considered it to be a beautiful city built on a mighty river. Therefore, when I came “home again” in 2005, I was surprised and disappointed at the reintroduction to my hometown. Why? Because, for the first time in many years, driving north on Route 1, coming down Witch Spring Hill and entering Bath, I was met with a “visual obscenity!”

Remember, you never get a second chance on a first impression. So for tourists coming north on Route 1 into Bath this visual obscenity makes a very unfavorable first impression! As I understand, this visual obscenity to which I refer, resulted from an individual’s action decades ago. Although not suicidal, this individual chose to run from one side of busy Leeman highway to the other and was unfortunately hit by traffic, resulting in personal tragedy. Our local community’s preventative action created the visual obscenity.

Honestly, has anyone living in Bath ever seen an uglier, more depressing piece of fencing than that which was installed down the center of Leeman highway? From a standard highway divider base to its top of rusting chain link fencing, this preventative effort gives a horribly misleading introduction to our beautiful city.

Bath has a lot to offer the first-time tourist. From our historic downtown area with its interesting shops and great restaurants; to our unique marine museum; to our beautiful, challenging country club; to the short trip to historic Popham Beach; to our world famous ship yard; to our collection of stately sea captain’s homes; to our easy access to fishing and a myriad of boating activities, Bath offers many local treasures to people from away. However I’m suggesting the visual obscenity confronting first time visitors leads too often to a decision to bypass Bath and drive right over the bridge.

So, let’s remove this visual obscenity. Now some may be saying we can’t do that. Their rationale continues to be that the community must take all precautions to prevent future individual acts such as running across a busy highway. Maybe a compromise is possible. If we can agree the current Leeman highway divider is a negative introduction to our beautiful city let’s change it. Perhaps the Bath Garden Club could suggest a more appropriate and pleasing to the eye divider. I’m sure there are Bath residents who have suggestions on a more visually acceptable introduction to our city. As for costs, if the Maine DOT does not support a change, let’s start a fund. I don’t believe it can be that expensive to remove the existing visual obscenity and replace it with a divider that entices tourist to pay Bath a visit. If we are successful in such a change, everyone benefits.

Chuck Pierce,
Bath