The trail is graded and well-marked and youll climb no more than 374 feet of elevation throughout the hike. It's actually a nice road.". Great scenery, plenty of interesting details, and a clear, well-marked path. 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). KETCHIKAN, Alaska (CNN) -- The "Bridge to Nowhere" may have been shelved. [10] The bridge would cross the Tongass Narrows, part of Alaska's Inside Passage, so the bridge was designed to be tall enough to accommodate ship traffic, including the Alaska Marine Highway and the cruise ships that frequent Alaskan waters during the summer. Last summer while I was in Ketchikan, I hiked upthe hill above town to get a better perspective of the destinationfor the Bridge to Nowhere. Nice to actually see where my tax dollars were supposed to be spent (hope you enjoyed them even if you didnt get the 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 . Unfinished highway bridges at the water reservoir Svihov. threat. Times Staff Writer. Your email address will not be published. congressional leadership, support its resistance. Bridge to Nowhere photo, Ketchikan, Alaska. Mr. KEITH ASHDOWN (Chief Investigator, Taxpayers for Common Sense): We spent several months trying to figure out, you know, how could we make this sexy, so to speak, for the lower 48 states and for the news media. I might be missing out on some business opportunities. [49], After canceling the bridge, Palin's administration spent more than $25 million to build the Gravina Island Highway, which would have connected with the proposed bridge. Perhaps the Port and the City team up and construct a bridge near Harbor Square. All rights reserved. The train bridge may be the most famous and scenic bridge in Alaska, subject of many iconic photographs. Thank you! Never mind that The project wasn't going to be cheap, though: $398 million was the projected cost, and the project encountered steep opposition in the United States Congress in 2005. The project gained infamy in 2005 as a waste of taxpayer dollars and the funds earmarked for it were withheld. road in the morning fog - bridge to nowhere california stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. its discretion for road projects. The road was part of the $398 million project to link Ketchikan and its airport on Gravina Island known as the "Bridge to Nowhere," and an earmark inserted by Alaska's congressional delegation had . Bridge was reassembled at it's present site. be used for infrastructure reconstruction in the hurricane-affected It spans the deep gorge - overlooking the lovely Garry beach - one of the prettiest in the Outer Hebrides. state-by-state allocation formula. Ketchikan's Democratic Mayor Bob Weinstein also criticized Palin for using the term bridge to nowhere, which she had said was insulting when she was in favor of the bridge. Crazy times. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at The Heritage Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. And one night, had a couple beers in me, and I got a little more creative and I came up with the term Bridge to Nowhere. One Sunday not that - couple of years ago, on the front of Parade, the insert in everybody's Sunday newspaper was the picture of the bridge. the blue duck lodge located in the whanganui national park is a working cattle farm with a focus on conservation. All rights reserved. "[47], Many media groups in the U.S. noted that Palin changed her position regarding the bridges, and concluded that she exaggerated her claim that she stopped the proposals from going through. Although you'll see lots of people picnicking and camping towards the beginning of the trail, as you trek further out closer to the bridge, it is much easier to find a place of your own. serve a tiny fraction of the state's citizens. Back in 2005, Young and Sen. Stevens tried to get $223 million for the bridge. Milk the next few months for all you can license wise, nothing like a local celebrity to drive your image sales. The Gilahina Trestle is now listed on the National Historic Register, which means itll probably come in for some funding to repair/restore it. In response to Built in 1911 as part of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway (nicknamed Cant Run and Never Will), the Gilahina Trestle was not quite 900 long, and nearly 100 high. JUNEAU, Alaska Some called it a bridge to the future. For the first two weeks of her campaign, Palin routinely told audiences in her stump speech that she told Congress "thanks, but no thanks" for the bridge, which was backed by the leaders of Alaska's congressional delegation. In the 2008 presidential campaign, two projects in Alaska were ridiculed as examples of pork-barrel . There are so many great ways to enjoy this hike. With about three-tenths of 1 percent of the borough's land privately owned and available for development, Ketchikan needs more land, he said. Foundation. How can we help to get that bridge to no where? One House [54] The motion lost and the funding was kept. Members of the Alaskan congressional delegation, particularly Representative Don Young and Senator Ted Stevens, were the bridge's biggest advocates in Congress, and helped push for federal funding. Sarah Palin came into office after having ousted Murkowski in the 2006 primary, she stopped the bridge project, saying it had lost congressional support. Remember Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere," a $400 million span that was supposed to connect Ketchikan to its airport on sparsely inhabited Gravina Island? She killed the Bridge to Nowhere - that is correct. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Bridge to Nowhere Gilahina Trestle, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. This is all very cool, but it means calling the watercourse the Gilahina river actually translates as Gilahi river river. Sarah Palin holds up a T-shirt labeled "Nowhere, Alaska 99901" during a gubernatorial campaign forum in Ketchikan in 2006. He wrote this excellent piece which I think basically was its introduction to the national audience. 662 passed both houses of Congress and became Public Law 112-5. objected to the bridge on their editorial pages. Don Barrett/Flickr. [19], In October 2006, when asked, "Would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges? If youre looking for a fun adventure outside, this bridge to nowhere in Alaska is a great place to start! The bridge is quite pretty, especially if you see it glowing in the setting sun. 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. by the House of Representatives, and finally cancelled in 2015. It was good that this project was killed by Governor Palin, but it's not correct that it saved any money. Legal Statement. "Much of the public's attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on inaccurate portrayals of the projects here," Palin said. Par . I never did anything with this photo, once the funding was lost and the project fell out of the news, the image had little value . Much of the publics attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on inaccurate portrayals of the projects here. Citation Barak D. Richman, The King of Rockingham County and the Original Bridge to Nowhere Contracts Stories 306-336 (2006) In American politics, Alaska is famous for wasted money on a "bridge to nowhere" in the early 2000s. Under mounting political pressure over pork projects, Congress stripped the earmark or stipulation that the money be used for the airport, but still sent the money to the state for any use it deemed appropriate. Theres no Mickey Ds, but theres a good spot to camp, and delicious, crystal clear water in the Gilahina River. pictures of the bridge to nowhere in alaska. In August 2007, Alaska's Department of Transportation stated that it was "leaning" toward alternative ferry options, citing bridge costs and the reluctance of Governor Palin to pay the state's match to the appropriated federal funds. 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. [27], Although Palin was originally a main proponent of the bridge, McCainPalin television advertisements claimed that Palin "stopped the Bridge to Nowhere". Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users "Bridge to Nowhere", "Alaska: End Sought For 'Bridge To Nowhere', "Two 'Bridges to Nowhere' Tumble Down in Congress", House Vote #159 (Mar 2, 2011) On Motion to Recommit with Instructions: H R 662 Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011, "Alaska 'bridge to nowhere' plan is no more as state chooses ferry for Ketchikan", "Ketchikan Gravina Island Access Project", "Airport Ferry - Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK", "Ketchikan airport and ferry statistics for December 2006", "Gravina Access Project, Record of Decision, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Ketchikan, Alaska. [53], In 2011 (after Palin had left office), there was continued funding for the project in H.R. Unfinished highway bridges, Czech republic. "The governor was left no viable alternative," Stapleton said. In the meantime, Bridge to Nowhere works for me. You may get to see a few daredevils take the plunge. You guys do an amazing job! Sept. 19, 2008 12 AM PT. Funding for the "Bridge to Nowhere" was continued as of March 2, 2011, in the passing of H.R. Tap into Getty Images global-scale, data-driven insights and network of over 340,000creators to create content exclusively for your brand. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. the blue duck lodge located in the whanganui national park is a working cattle farm with a focus on conservation. $148 million returning to Alaska as money the state could use at I suppose I should point out that the Bridge is not technically Alaskas famed Bridge to Nowhere, but the nomenclature seems to fit rightly enough. Last summer while I was in Ketchikan, I hiked up the hill above town to get a better perspective of the destination for the "Bridge to Nowhere". Its since fallen into some disrepair, as is evident from this image. The bridge has a height of 50ft and a width of 100 feet. Mr. ASHDOWN: Right. [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. Senator Coburn's amendment to defund the bridge, one prominent Anchorage Daily News, Diane Mucha of Eagle River wrote, "Of the bridge to nowhere is a unique and historical landmark in the development of new zealand. 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. The Gravina Island Bridge, commonly referred to as the "Bridge to Nowhere", was a proposed bridge to replace the ferry that currently connects the town of Ketchikan, Alaska, United States, with Gravina Island, an island that contains the Ketchikan International Airport as well as 50 residents.