At the height of the summer season, sun worshippers are greeted by a sign warning "Rough Road -- Travel at Own Risk" when seeking a respite at Wisconsin Point.
In part, the road has been in poor conditions for years. But the problem also has been aggravated by a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project. Numerous heavy trucks drive the road daily enroute to repair work on the Superior shipping entry.
So the public sector has excuses galore. But here's the question: Where else in the region do you drive and encounter a similar warning sign or conditions?
Similar to Duluth, Superior has been bolstering its tourism sector for many years now. But the effort in Superior, as demonstrated on Wisconsin Point, seems halfhearted. The point offers the most pristine sand beach for miles -- nicer than the one on nearby Park Point -- but little has been done to improve or promote the area. It's primary reputation: a place distant from normal police patrols where young people can drink beer, talk loud and act rowdy.
Mayor Dave Ross has been trying to change that reputation, focusing his attention on the downtown tavern district. Among his reasons for removing blighted buildings, he has said, is because they create an overall bad impression of the downtown, harming other businesses.
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The same can be said of Wisconsin Point. While it's not a top tourist destination, its entrance certainly leaves a negative impression about Superior's tourism amenities to anyone who intentionally or unintentionally makes a visit. If improved, it certainly would add to the reasons people visit Superior.
It's something city officials should review when reviewing how to spend tourism-related taxes.
