Editorial | Murray Street Bridge disruptions: Some options, however late, to help lower Seabright area and the harbor

In a city, much less the county, where traffic jams and construction can seem overwhelming, the seismic retrofit of the Murray Street Bridge has taken on a nightmarish quality all its own.

It’s also created a somewhat rancorous back and forth that involves the city of Santa Cruz, including engineers and economic development officials, and merchants, business owners and residents of the lower Seabright neighborhood, along with businesses at the Santa Cruz Harbor, and we presume, many boat owners.

The $50 million bridge project, as has been well documented, is not set to be completed until early 2028, a nearly three-year time frame to repair the 328-foot span.

Not only has already insufferable traffic gotten worse, as the bridge is one of the main alternative arteries from west to east an