As many area walkers/cyclists and zero golfers know, there’s a bike/ped overpass of I-40 at the Los Altos Golf Course/Pool.

Did you know the original reason for this overpass had nothing to do with walkers or cyclists? I’ll let the caption of this Albuquerque Journal June 12, 1960 photo explain.

If the wording above doesn’t make the point clearly enough, check out this Journal write-up on the crosswalk from the June 7, 1960.

Being the astute observer you are, you’ve noticed there is ZERO mention of any need by walkers/cyclists to overcome the new I-40 to get places north/south of it that were easily walkable/cyclable prior to the interstate’s construction. No, the “elevated walkway” was designed so that golfers could park on one side of I-40 and walk with their clubs to the golf course on the other side.

I could be wrong, but my strong sense is that a grand total of ZERO golfers have ever walked with their clubs from the north side of I-40 in the now 64 years of Los Altos Golf Course history. Again, maybe I’m wrong, and maybe I’ll run into a foursome carrying them as I ride near/over the bike/ped bridge, which I do fairly often.

Sidenote: One of the most fun cycling bits in town is biking through the Golf Course parking lot, especially on a busy Sunday. The sense of golfer reaction to some dorks riding through “their” golf course is wonderfully antagonistic. Here’s that entryway.

If you haven’t already, please give this entryway a cycling (or walking) go. It fits the expression “unwanted outsider” perfectly.