A Tale of Two California Bridges

L.A. Was Too Hot for the Sixth Street Viaduct, While San Francisco Played It Cool at the Presidio

Nothing reveals the character of a city more than the way it opens a present.

California saw as much this summer, as our two most distinguished municipalities—Los Angeles and San Francisco—each tore the wrapping paper off a beautiful civic gift.

In the process, they demonstrated how, in spite of the similarities in their progressive politics and obscene wealth, these capitals of Northern and Southern California remain very different places.

Comparisons are instructive because the civic gifts in question are so similar. L.A.’s new Sixth Street Viaduct and San Francisco’s new Presidio Tunnel Tops …