Yes, the sky-sculptures over the Trinity by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava (my personal favorite now drawing) are spectacular; the gift of Dallas philanthropist Margaret Hunt Hill most generous. The rhetoric (weather jokes aside) was a bit overblown. The event was the groundbreaking for a Bridge-Over-the-River-Trinity designed by the renowned and extremely talented Mr. Calatrava. Presumably there will eventually be three such sky-sculptures. They are intended as a bow on the central city package, an inviting gateway between Dallas north-south and west, and the front photo on the city’s economic development and convention and visitors bureau brochures.

Unfortunately, they will not be the catalyst many claim to fill empty skyscrapers in downtown or rejuvenate the poverty stricken West Dallas. Now I am a sucker for this type of thing; never shy at asking taxpayers to pay for a good party or magnificent public art. And these will definitely be an aesthetic plus for a city with few such. But what will rejuvenate Dallas are schools that the middle class of all demographic categories want to use, a low crime rate, and a well maintained public infrastructure. The bridges will do none of these.

Yes, most of the money will be Federal money and Dallas is entitled to its share of pork, but I am inclined to agree with the Dallas News editorial suggesting this is some pork Dallas could cut if other locales were doing some pork cutting in the name of national fiscal sanity. That is, of course, the editorial the paper ran before the publisher read it, not the one putting the bridge on a par with national defense.

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