How easily we overlook reality

A noted urban designer writes about Redeeming the viaduct:

Instead of sacrificing the "Big Ugly" to the stylish environmentalism of the surface/transit proposal, officials should see that the viaduct's incremental retrofitting, initiated at the north and south sectors by the repair and strengthening of existing columns and footings, also provides the approach to the central sector's renewal.

Of course I agree entirely with the basic sentiment. What I find quaint is that anyone might still be seriously thinking that we will do anything except retrofit/repair the central sector.