Manhole covers overtake street

To the editor:
Dec. 4 was a beautiful day for a high school football game.
My beautiful wife and I were going to Columbus, Ohio, to watch her alma mater play for their very first football championship in “The Shoe,” one of the most noted football venues in America.
Cruising out Water Street way we were enjoying ourselves taking in the view of the newly-renovated thoroughfare: new paving, step-up curbs and plenty of storm drains. To our dismay, something was wrong — really wrong. Too many bumps — way too many.
“What kind of paving is this?” I thought.
Then I saw the bumps were the manhole covers. I repeat — manhole covers.
Now curiosity had the best of me. Why so many manhole covers on just a mile of lovely street? Did the state engineer have the franchise on manhole covers? Did he plan to use less paving material and use more manhole covers?
I’ll probably never find the answer to these intriguing questions, so I’m just putting manhole covers out of my mind and never mentioning them again. Dwell on the positive.
My wife’s Tribe won, purple and white, fight, fight. All’s well in the world.
Wonderful day at “The Shoe.”
Thank you.
Larry Chittum
Portland
P.S. — Sixty-three manhole covers in a mile.