Transportation officials at the time replied that the road was built with the support of Gov. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. "It was built to the standard to be able to have traffic moving at a decent clip," said state Department of Transportation spokesperson Jeremy Woodrow. Copyright 2008 NPR. In response to Its since fallen into some disrepair, as is evident from this image. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN. It will take about an hour and a half to complete it, depending on your skill levels. You may get to see a few daredevils take the plunge. highway bill. The final stretch leads to the high-walled canyon known as the Narrows, where water squeezes through a deep and narrow gorge, spanned by the Bridge to Nowhere. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. 1. Funding for the "Bridge to Nowhere" was continued as of March 2, 2011, in the passing of H.R. Required fields are marked *. Legal Statement. Despite the work of our congressional delegation, we are about $329 million short of full funding for the bridge project, and its clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge between Ketchikan and Gravina Island. would gain $148 million in money it could spend on the state's Others called it the bridge to nowhere. "Maybe if we had done it right, maybe some of that money would have gone to inspect those bridges and other bridges around the country," McCain told a group of people in a town-hall style meeting in Ankeny, Iowa. complain about its wait (15 to 30 minutes) and fee ($6 per car). way of three separate earmarks in the recent highway bill. But some of that money was still spent building a road to nowhere. The 8,000 residents of Ketchikan continue to be connected to their airport by ferry. Megan McDonald is a writer, photographer, and owner of HuMu Media, an Alaska-based media company. Now, thanks to recent news events, this image just may havea life after all. In her public comments, referring to her own residence in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, she said: "OK, youve got Valley trash standing here in the middle of nowhere. , Your email address will not be published. The trail crosses the river so often that you quickly . A number of alternative bridge routes were considered. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. No Thanks Add This Place . Have you ever hiked the bridge to nowhere in Alaska? [15] On November 16, 2005, Congress stripped the specific earmark allocation of federal funds for the two bridges in the final edition of the omnibus spending bill, without changing the amount of money allocated for use by Alaska. Federal Highway Administration spokesman Doug Hecox stated that Palin could have opted not to use the federal earmark, which would have allowed Congress the opportunity to send it to other federal needs. This covered bridge could have elevators and escalators; if medical personnel need to reach the ferry, they can use it. She said the best option would be to upgrade the ferry system. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We will never spam or share your email! "Leadership staffer suggested that retribution could be levied for SIEGEL: Today, Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Republican of South Carolina, writes an op-ed page piece in the Wall Street Journal, which he says, yeah, she was for it but then after she realized the problem with earmarks, Governor Palin was against it. Just a little under 40 years later, in 1968, it was deemed unfit for modern traffic needs not difficult to understand, given its narrow width. Bridge Cordova Alaska | Miles Glacier Bridge (Million Dollar Bridge), Cordova, Alaska. "We worked 30 years to get funding for this priority project.". The project also had a history of federal appropriations showing support there as well, it said. Perhaps thats reason enough for some funding, restore the west end of the bridge, and the Gilahina Trestle can be known as Alaskas Bridge to Somwhere namely, the other side of the Gilahina River. (population 8,900) with its airport on the Island of Gravina Look at the highway bill that had 3,000 pork barrel projects on it including bridges to nowhere in Alaska. Alaska Rep. Don Young brought the world the "Bridge to Nowhere.". Your email address will not be published. Defunding the bridge, he said, Mr. ASHDOWN: Tim Egan, he's a New York Times reporter who's an expert on Alaska, all things Alaska, and he'd read our write-up on the bridge. The Gravina Island bridge project is an embarrassment to the people pictures of the bridge to nowhere in alaska; pictures of the bridge to nowhere in alaska. Bridge to Nowhere is an unforgettable hike, and an understandable Los Angeles favorite. some of its pork, they fear, so might they. 3058 [109th]'s first version passed the U.S. Senate with 93 votes for, 1 against. [2] As a result, Congress removed the federal earmark for the bridge in 2005. Campaign spokeswoman Meg Stapleton said Palin would not have allowed the road project to go forward under normal circumstances. Have any photos of the people Palin fired? Typically the flow is only a foot or two deeprefreshing on a warm daybut it can swell to impassable after big storms. serve a tiny fraction of the state's citizens. [21][22][23][24][25], During her inaugural address on December 4, 2006, Governor Palin pledged responsible spending. Getting here requires some work. Palin's Chief of Staff, Billy Moening, has been praised by many Republican strategists for recommending Palin change her stance on the bridge. Tell me about that. In response to an inquiry of whether Palin could have stopped construction, Stapleton told Boudreau that Palin had "no viable alternative" because Congress had already granted the earmark and the contract for the road was signed before Palin took office. Following the construction of the island highway, the $28 million expenditure wound up being used by both bridge supporters to make the case for construction and bridge critics who called it a boondoggle. 56.9120, 22.9756 Notes . With the Bridge to Nowhere a national laughingstock, U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., in October 2005 proposed an amendment that would have redirected $125-million in funding for the Alaska bridge . But the "Road to Nowhere" is alive and well. The Gilahina Trestle, crossing the Gilahina River, was once an impressive structure. Miles Glacier Bridge, Alaska, damaged by a 1964 earthquake (photograph by Jet Lowe) Birmingham, . Fiscally responsible Members of SIEGEL: Ultimately though, if the earmark was changed, it no longer was dedicating this $223 million to the bridge from Ketchikan to Gravina Island. The cart was put before the horse when road builders constructed a massive concrete bridge over the San Gabriel River in 1936. the removal of the project in a technical corrections bill or other At a public forum, Palin held up a pro-bridge T-shirt designed by a Ketchikan artist, Mary Ida Henrikson. Boudreau spoke to Mike Elerding, Palin's former campaign coordinator. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options await you. McCain himself also weighed in on the Gravina Island Bridge. FHWA-AK-EIS-03-01-F, DOT&PF Project 67698, Federal Project ACHP-0922(5)", "H.R. disaster in the Gulf States, it occurred to me that the most Available for both RF and RM licensing. the bridge to nowhere is a unique and historical landmark in the development of new zealand. 662. Share. Love Alaska? 8,000) by a bridge nearly as long as the Golden Gate and higher . But Weinstein, a Democrat, said Palin instead spent $26 million to build a road "that will not go to a bridge.". ROBERT SIEGEL, host: Even at $223 million, the earmarks for the bridge that was supposed to connect Ketchikan to Gravina Island, Alaska, population roughly 50, has had remarkably durable legs as a . The proposed $400 million span that would have connected the coastal city of Ketchikan to its airport on Gravina Island died after it became a symbol of congressional excess. threat. [32][33], Asked why she initially supported the bridge, Palin's communications director Bill McAllister said, "It was never at the top of her priority list, and in fact the project isn't necessarily dead there's still the potential for improved ferry service or even a bridge of a less costly design". This is the sort of challenge that fiscally It's redirected the money to other alternatives in Alaska and has gone to one project that's on the Gravina Island, it's a road project. counted towards a state's equity bonus and thus are part of the Bridge to Nowhere photo, Ketchikan, Alaska. Alaska's Gravina Island (population less than 50) will soon be connected to the megalopolis of Ketchikan (pop. This is all very cool, but it means calling the watercourse the Gilahina river actually translates as Gilahi river river. SIEGEL: That Parade magazine cover was published in November 2005. The one section to the left looks like it is about to fall down already. heels, and many of the delegation's colleagues, including all of But some locals said they'll find some way to use the road, such as running or bicycle riding. Ron Niebrugge September 9, 2008 Alaska, Photos, Travel 13 Comments. Not all the people in that community even were asking for a $400 million or $300 million bridge. A proposed Alaska bridge that became a symbol of wasteful federal spending on politicians' pet projects has officially been scrapped a decade after the idea was first floated, state officials said on Friday. You were wearing a T-shirt in the 2006 campaign, showed your support for the bridge to nowhere." Despite the Nice to actually see where my tax dollars were supposed to be spent (hope you enjoyed them even if you didnt get the bridge ). Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) spoke in support of a motion to recommit the bill (i.e., end the funding)[54] In response, Rep. Mica (R-FL), spoke in opposition (i.e., keep the funding). 10 Bridge To Nowhere Was Built In 1936 As Part Of The California State Route 39 Highway Project. It is showing the years isnt it. Ketchikan's airport is the second largest in Southeast Alaska, after Juneau International Airport, and handled over 200,000 passengers a year or 550 per day, while the ferry shuttled 350,000 people in the same time period (as of December2006[update]).[11]. All About Sarah Palin Alaska U.S. Presidential Election, iReport.com: Are you in a battleground state? House and Senate Republican negotiators take legislative wrecking ball to two Alaskan 'bridges to nowhere' that have become national symbols of spending excess and political albatross; federal . Mr. ASHDOWN: No. When asked if he felt the road was "a waste of taxpayer money", he responded, "Without the bridge, yeah." Further driving up costs were all the muskeg and peat that had to be removed and replaced with rock and gravel to get through the wetlands. It spans a deep gorge overlooking the lovely Garry beach, one of the prettiest in the Outer Hebrides. 2005-11-17 04:00:00 PDT Washington-- Fiscal conservatives in Congress won a rare victory Wednesday when lawmakers scuttled plans to spend $230 million to help build "the bridge to nowhere," a span . become an object of national ridicule and a symbol of the fiscal . DOT says that the highway will still be useful to reach land on Gravina Island even without the bridge. [19] Because "no one seems to use" this road, it has been called the "road to nowhere" by CNN, many local Alaskans, and several other media sources. Great scenery, plenty of interesting details, and a clear, well-marked path. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. the blue duck lodge located in the whanganui national park is a working cattle farm with a focus on conservation. Ketchikan Mayor Bob Weinstein calls the road, which was paid for by federal tax dollars, a waste of money that could have been used to fix his city's roads and sidewalks. "It'd be nice to see them put something over here now they have a road: park, picnic benches, something to get people out here," said P.J. "But we need to focus on what we can do, rather than fight over what has happened.". U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young, both Republicans, championed the project through Congress two years ago, securing more than $200 million for the bridge between Revillagigedo and Gravina islands.
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