Crosses to Be Removed From San Diego Hillside

It could be the end of days for a few crosses outside San Diego. The California Department of Transportation plans to remove three long-standing crosses from public property after receiving complaints about them, reports the San Diego Union Tribune. The large monuments have stood just east of a state highway for decades, serving as an unofficial worship spot for generations.

The DOT says it had no choice but to remove the crosses and hopes they can be relocated to private property. "This policy does not apply only to the crosses," says a spokeswoman. "But to anything erected along state property without the proper assurances proved by a permit.” Residents plan to protest their removal, and the DOT has rescheduled the process to an undisclosed date to avoid conflict. "It’s a local landmark, sort of an institution,” says a local. “It’s used on Easter mornings by a joint congregation of Christian churches here, and I know many people who go out there personally for meditation for the view and the crosses.” (More Cross stories.)