Pork, anyone?
The New York Times reports that two bridges, with a total cost of over 2 billion dollars and dubbed "the bridges to nowehere," are in the current national highway bill for Alaska.
One, here in Ketchikan, would be among the biggest in the United States: a mile long, with a top clearance of 200 feet from the water -- 80 feet higher than the Brooklyn Bridge and just 20 feet short of the Golden Gate Bridge. It would connect this economically depressed, rain-soaked town of 7,845 people to an island that has about 50 residents and the area's airport, which offers six flights a day (a few more in summer). It could cost about $200 million.
The other bridge would span an inlet for nearly two miles to tie Anchorage to a port that has a single regular tenant and almost no homes or businesses. It would cost up to $2 billion.
source
The Ketchikan bridge would replace a five minute ferry crossing.
The amazing thing about this story is the brazen attitude the Congressman from the district has, basically saying that it's his job to get as much money and jobs for his district as he can, regardless of any other considerations. It makes me ill that our elected representatives see their positions this way.
"If you don't do it now, when are you going to do it?" he [Congressman Dan Young] said at the luncheon. "This is the time to take advantage of the position I'm in, along with Senator Stevens."
...
"If I had not done fairly well for our state," he said, "I'd be ashamed of myself."
The article notes that Alaskans get $7 back for every $1 they put into the gas tax fund which backs the transportation statute. In the current bill, just the down payments Alaska will receive for these two bridges is more than the total in all of 41 other states.
And, then, just when you didn't think your jaw could drop any lower, the gem of the article:
Mr. Young said Alaska had been late to the federal table -- it did not join the Union until 1959 -- and needed to play catch-up. With his position as chairman of the House transportation committee, and with Mr. Stevens driving appropriations in the Senate, the state can muscle through most of the road projects it dreams up, he said.
"It's not a good way to legislate, although I got a lot of stuff in it," Mr. Young told The Anchorage Daily News in December. "I mean I stuffed it like a turkey."
I have some friends up in Alaska. Hey guys, is this guy fucking serious?!?! What the hell is going on up there?
You want pork? Old pork is sometimes the most rancid. Rhode Island gets a juicy cut of the Interstate Highway money every year despite not having ANY interstate highways. What that have, however, is two senators. Check some old records to find out how long they've bellied up to the trough for THIS one! =)
[As a curiousity, Hawaii also gets interstate highway funds, but they have a legitimate reason: there are military bases on Hawaii that need reliable roads to keep their stuff mobile.]
Posted by: Johnie K. at April 11, 2004 10:49 PM
