Back when politics was still funny there was the ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ in Alaska. I absolutely love this story. Even in this age of the most unsettling leader since Nero, this story is amazing.
In 2005 a congressional delegation was pushing for and was allocated $395,000,000 to build a bridge to Gravina Island to serve the 50, yes 50 local residents and the regional airport. But hey, it would replace the $7 per car 15-minute ferry ride (round trip).
Gravina Map Gravina Ferry
The bridge was to be longer than the Golden Gate Bridge and, so ships could pass, it had to be to be taller than the Brooklyn Bridge (unless they took a 7 hour detour). Oh, also there was virtually no ship traffic.
Sarah Palin was behind this project big time for years but after a good deal of derisive press with everybody laughing their heads off at her she helped kill it. She then claimed to have always been against it even though she was spotted promoting the project with this tee shirt.
The supporters of this boondoggle had great fun mocking the Feds as they attempted to steal hundreds of millions from you and me. And if 395 was the budget keep in mind that the initial Bay Bridge replacement estimate was 1 billion but later came in later at over 6 billion and years late. At least the Bay Bridge goes somewhere (coincidently Gertrude Stein said of Oakland that “There is no there, there.”) The project only died when Hurricane Katrina hit and the Government thought the money would be better spent patching up New Orleans.
The State of Alaska did build a 25 million dollar highway to the Bridge to Nowhere and since it dead ends at non existent bridge its now called the Road to Nowhere and no one uses it. Also, it got built after the bridge project was killed.
Another big booster of this project was Senator Ted Stevens who was later indicted for bribery. Amazedly the airport in Anchorage is called The Ted Stevens Airport. I fully expect that if the human race survives the current president that a gigantic bridge will connect Mar a Lago to Tijuana. Hey, you have your dreams. I have mine.
I’ve always wanted to travel with you and Margaret and now I am!
Love this idea – thank you for virtually taking me away from incessant news of COVID numbers and Drumpf lies!
I’ll have a Mango Margarita with an umbrella, please! (If there is no such cocktail, there should be -along with a Bitter Witter!)
Love to you both and Anchors Away – let’s sail into the sunset together singing, “Don’t worry, Be happy!”
And travel we shall!
Didn’t know about the Ted Stevens Airport; ironic then, that he bought it in a plane crash.