MEA’s high-wire debacle

To the editor:

When I first heard that MEA was planning to erect high-wire towers along the highway in Wasilla, my reaction was one of revulsion, and I argued that the only solution to the problem is to bury the lines, no matter the cost.

But then something unexpected happened. We had company from out of state, and we drove to Girdwood, where there are very large power lines along the highway in places even more scenic than here in the Valley. What was unexpected, even startling, was that these lines weren’t that big of a distraction.

My wife offered a similar opinion as we were passing the towers. The power lines didn’t spoil anything. It’s hard to say why unless you see them for yourself, but they actually looked to me rather like an elegant example of engineering as if they were designed for effect.

I suspect they don’t spoil the view because the scenery, in and of itself, is simply overpowering. I can’t say for sure that it would be the same if this type of power lines were erected here in the Valley, but now I’m not so sure that having the lines here above ground would be nearly as bad as my first impression.

Then, while considering this dissonant experience, I had an idea. What if MEA erected the lines above ground as planned and instead of assuming that they would be an eyesore, what if some of the towers also had creations designed specifically for the purpose of attracting attention, like totem poles or other Alaska symbols?

If we had tasteful art matching the elegance of the engineering of the power lines on the road to Girdwood, the power lines here might actually turn out be considered an aesthetic asset? Perhaps we could get our schools interested in coming up with designs and get local business to sponsor their creation and construction of the symbols.

Now I admit that my objectivity may have been skewed and unduly biased because our trip was to the Double Musky. But if you have developed a strong opinion against the power lines and you haven’t been to the Double Musky in a while, make the trip and see if there is room to alter your position or see if perhaps you can come up with a better solution.

I don’t want anything in the Valley that will destroy the scenery that draws tourists and the very reasons that make us want to live here, and I would be willing to pay more to avoid it. But I’m suggesting that with some out-of-the-box thinking, we might be able to turn this situation into a win-win.

Charles Hayes

Wasilla