The new fence along Highway One has captured the interest of coastal residents (MendoLocal.News CC BY 4.0)
A simple wooden plank fence running along Highway One as drivers enter or exit Fort Bragg has become the talk of the town.
Who is building the fence? Why are they building the fence? Does the City Council know about it? Is it part of the broadband installation project? If so, why?
The mystery of the fence, which is as noticeable as it is modest in its construction, has prompted speculation everywhere people gather, whether in online Facebook groups or at a recent mixer sponsored by the Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce and the Symphony of the Redwoods.
Robert Pinoli, president of Mendocino Railway, which owns the land, said the answers are straightforward. The fence is a Caltrans project. The agency chose the materials and is doing the work. The railway was not consulted — and it’s not complaining. And yes, it’s related to the middle-mile broadband installation project.
“While the fence is on Mendocino Railway’s property, its construction stems from the previous fence being removed for the sidewalk-widening project,” he said. “The project wasn’t to replace the fence, rather to put in sidewalks that are ADA compliant. We willingly supported that and conveyed a strip of land for the much-needed improvement.”
Sometimes, even in Fort Bragg, a fence is just a fence.
