November 2011 | Eyesore

Architectural Abortions from the USA and Around the World (And Sometimes Other Miscellany Infecting the Landscape)

Take a honkin' good look at this crosswalk in Reading, Pennsylvania (North 5th Street Highway and South Temple Boulevard). Now just imagine the engineering effort that went into its design, with all the components – the retaining wall, the fence, the berm, the drainage, the street striping, the handicapped grading, the textured paving blocks.... Now imagine the politiical process – the design review, the code enforcement review, the DOT sign-off, the planning and zoning board approval. Okay, now tell me how the fuck could any civilized people arrive at such an outcome, not to mention laying out the money to pay for this exercise in idiocy? Here is further proof that the Law of Perverse Outcomes rules: People get what they deserve, not what they expect.

Another corner (below) of what is a four way intersection with eight corners.

Thanks to Michael Velik for sending this in!