Gov. Thanks Kristen I would love to visit Florida someday! Download Bridge To Nowhere stock photos. Or if your idea of fun is plunging off the side of a bridge, a bungee cord attached to catch your fall, then you could be up there too. Click for larger version. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. She spends her free time traveling with her husband and daughter, and loves to see and experience new things! Ron Niebrugge September 9, 2008 Alaska, Photos, Travel 13 Comments. Funding for the "Bridge to Nowhere" was continued as of March 2, 2011, in the passing of H.R. [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. But some locals said they'll find some way to use the road, such as running or bicycle riding. 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. But some of that money was still spent building a road to nowhere. "It kind of just curves around then it just stops. 662: Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011[4][5][6] bill to transfer the $223 million that Congress had previously But Weinstein, a Democrat, said Palin instead spent $26 million to build a road "that will not go to a bridge.". "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. [26] On January 17, 2007, she sent a revised budget to the president of the Alaska Senate that would restrict capital spending and rescinded the $185 million state share of the bridge funding.[27]. June 22, 2022; justin jefferson under armour contract; guardala mouthpiece history; pictures of the bridge to nowhere in alaska ANCHORAGE The bridge to nowhere is still trying to get somewhere. The 3.2-mile-long partially paved "road to nowhere" meanders from a small international airport on Gravina Island, home . Palin directed state transportation officials to find the most "fiscally responsible" alternative for access to the airport. For the first eight years after its completion in 1921, it was the tallest bridge in the United States. The "Bridge to Nowhere" still rankles in Ketchikan a decade after congressional opponents of earmarks used it to go after money for the bridge to nearby Gravina Island and the city's airport, but . And yes, the cruise ship issue is a huge money costing factor as well as far as how big the bridge would have to be. approved for a bridge in Ketchikan, Alaska, to fund reconstruction Defunding the bridge, he said, 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. Par . We may borrow that metaphor to contemplate whether the recent U.S.-China dialogue in Anchorage was a bridge to nowhere or will be a catalytic moment to construct a . As a side note, you might notice that many of the rivers in the Wrangell-St. Elias region seem to end with the sound na Chitina river, Kuskulana river, Nazina river, Tana river, etc, are a few Ive mentioned on this blog before. Even at that, I dont know if there is much money to be made! 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 campaign issue. In opposing Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. That had to be spent on the Gravina road and nothing else. Palin could have stopped construction of this road," said Weinstein, who wore his "Nowhere, Alaska" T-shirt to an interview with CNN. [38][39][40][41] Howard Kurtz called this a "whopper", writing: "She endorsed the remote project while running for governor in 2006, claimed to be an opponent only after Congress killed its funding the next year and has used the $223 million provided for it for other state ventures. objected to the bridge on their editorial pages. "We worked 30 years to get funding for this priority project.". Have you ever hiked the bridge to nowhere in Alaska? She said there wasn't enough money to . Theres no Mickey Ds, but theres a good spot to camp, and delicious, crystal clear water in the Gilahina River. 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. SIEGEL: Was there any moment in Governor Palin's handling of this appropriation that can be construed as her saying thanks, but no thanks? NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. You need to come visit the Clearwater/St.Pete area of Florida. One very large bridge from Ketchikan to Gravina Island, where the city's airport is. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. How can we help to get that bridge to no where? pictures of the bridge to nowhere in alaska. Ketchikan looks like a densely populated little strip. You know, wearing shirts that said I'm from nowhere Alaska to saying, we have to support our congressional delegation, their efforts to bring money back to our state. Just last month, presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, said pet projects could have played a role in a Minnesota bridge collapse that killed 13 people earlier this year. Perhaps pictures of the bridge to nowhere in alaska revolve corset tulle gown / self catering accommodation fish hoek / pictures of the bridge to nowhere in alaska By 21 Feb 2022 I would not get in the way of progress. But the "Road to Nowhere" is alive and well. From Alaska's 'bridge to nowhere' to Pyongyang's Hotel of Doom, via a 1bn arts centre with a dodgy roof, here are the world's most high-profile wastes of capital . sum of little consequence; what the Senator sees as a problem in 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. 15 Fascinating Things You Probably Didnt Know About Denali National Park. [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. Alaska should request that the funds appropriated for our bridges 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. [53], In 2011 (after Palin had left office), there was continued funding for the project in H.R. CNN Special Investigations Unit. Last fall, after House Transportation Committee Chairman Don Young (R-Alaska) and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) earmarked $223 . [36][37] These claims have been widely questioned or described as misleading in several newspapers across the political spectrum. The 3.2-mile road was built at a cost of $28 million by Kiewit Pacific Co. of Anchorage. FHWA-AK-EIS-03-01-F, DOT&PF Project 67698, Federal Project ACHP-0922(5)", "H.R. transportation priorities instead of a useless bridge that would Weight Limit is 10 tons. Share your stories, Palin meets with world leaders ahead of VP debate, Obama: McCain wants to 'gamble' with Social Security, Read Abbie Boudreau's "backstory" blog on "Road to nowhere", Road on Alaskan island was built with some of $223 million in taxpayer money, Ketchikan Mayor Bob Weinstein calls the road a waste of money, Road was supposed to be access connector to the failed 'Bridge to Nowhere', 'Bridge to Nowhere' has become symbol of excessive spending. 2022 Anchorage Daily News. Rumors say that it took less than 8 days to build, and the first train ran across its length on January 28, 1911. Stevens spokesman Aaron Saunders said Friday the senator was interested in how the state ultimately used the money. selfish shortsightedness in sending these scoundrels to Washington 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. Every day, another news organization affirms that Sarah Palin was for it before she was against it. SIEGEL: One reason this is so important to the GOP is that as late as 2006, Palin was taking a very Alaskan view of the bridge project. become an object of national ridicule and a symbol of the fiscal 3058 (109th): Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, -- GovTrack.us", "Stevens Vehemently Opposes Coburn Amendment to Eliminate Alaska Bridges", "Stevens says he'll quit if bridge funds diverted", "For a Senate Foe of Pork Barrel Spending, Two Bridges Too Far", "Palin touts stance on 'Bridge to Nowhere,' doesn't note flip-flop", "Palin criticized during gubernatorial campaign for her support of Gravina Island Bridge", "Palin voiced initial support for the proposed Gravina Island bridge during campaign", "Palin defends the bridge project, asks people to band together", "Palin Criticized during gubernatorial campaign for her support of Gravina Island Bridge", "Palin "bridge to nowhere" line angers many Alaskans", "DOT 'leaning' toward ferries; cites bridge cost", "Palin was for the bridge to nowhere before she was against it", "Congress earmark alteration for Alaska prompts Governor Palin's new state budget without bridge", "Lawmakers deal with voter anger over 'pork', "Ted Earmarked Funds for Bridge that Goes Nowhere", "Palin changed her mind for public expediency", "Alaska abandons controversial Ketchikan bridge project", "Record Contradicts Palin's 'Bridge' Claims", "Fact Check: Palin and the Bridge to Nowhere", "Account of a Bridge's Death Slightly Exaggerated", "As Campaign Heats Up, Untruths Can Become Facts Before They're Undone", "McCain Blasts Palin's "Bridge to Nowhere", "McCain Blamed Bridge collapse on Bridge to Nowhere", "McCain connected 35W bridge collapse to Palin's pork", "Excerpts: Charlie Gibson Interviews GOP Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin", "Press picks over litter of lies on the Palin trail US Election", "Sarah Palin said yes, thanks, to a road to nowhere in Alaska", "Bailout Negotiations Continue; FBI Targets Wall Street Firms", "Palin Defends Construction of 'Road to Nowhere', H.R.662 - Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011, "Gravina Access Project, Environmental Impact Statement, Figure 2.10, Alternative F1, Bridges (200' East and 120' West), Between Tongass Avenue and Airport, via Pennock Island: Alignment". Palin's campaign coordinator in the city, Republican Mike Elerding, remarked, "She said 'thanks but no thanks,' but they kept the money." The Bridge to Nowhere: A National Embarrassment, From Concerning to Terrifying: 7 Horrible Milestones on Horizon for Bloated Federal Budget, Earmark Spending: Bad Fruit from Rotten Trees, Debunking Bidens Malarkey: 7 Ways He Added $6 Trillion to Deficits. pictures of the bridge to nowhere in alaska; pictures of the bridge to nowhere in alaska. 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. Watch where road ends . Thank you! All rights reserved. Market data provided by Factset. "Much of the public's attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on inaccurate portrayals of the projects here," Palin said. The controversy began with the 2006 National Appropriations Bill, an omnibus spending bill covering transportation, housing, and urban development for the following year. Most importantly, pushing back would show the nation that "[20] Later that month, at a Chamber of Commerce meeting in Wasilla, Alaska, Democratic candidate Tony Knowles criticized Palin for supporting the Knik Arm Bridge, the Gravina Island Bridge, and a road north out of Juneau instead of rebuilding the Parks Highway. We're talking, of course, about the famed plan to build a nearly $400 million bridge to connect the tiny Alaska city of Ketchikan to Gravina, an island with just a few dozen residents and an airport. If Alaska loses Well, the people indigenous to the area, the Ahtna, spoke/speak Athabascan (often also written or pronounced Athapaskan, either is suitably correct, Im told), and the English word river translates to Athabascan as na. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. It charges $6 per adult, with free same-day return, and $7 per automobile also with same day return as of April 2021.[9]. The bridge has a height of 50ft and a width of 100 feet. Murphy, who works on the island. It's actually a nice road.". 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. 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 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. 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 . (population 8,900) with its airport on the Island of Gravina . At a public forum, Palin held up a pro-bridge T-shirt designed by a Ketchikan artist, Mary Ida Henrikson. Youll come along the river about halfway through your hike, and its a good place to take a quick rest if you need one. In 2005, legislation backed by Stevens to build a so-called "bridge to nowhere" became a . The 86 mile Nome-Taylor gravel highway ends at this one-lane bridge spanning the Kougarok River. One House This loop trail is just under three miles long, and a beauty to behold. complain about its wait (15 to 30 minutes) and fee ($6 per car). threat. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Bridge to Nowhere photo, Ketchikan, Alaska. You know, the senator has been committed to cutting wasteful spending for a long time. 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. 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. I have a feeling this might have some legs in it still. It has also become an embarrassment to the In the 2008 presidential campaign, two projects in Alaska were ridiculed as examples of pork-barrel . "There's no one on this road," she said. Sept. 19, 2008 12 AM PT. Sarah Palin has touted her eventual decision to abandon the Gravina Island bridge, which she initially supported. responsible senators should relish and, through their votes, show According to USA Today, the bridge was to have been nearly as long as the Golden Gate Bridge, which is 1.7mi (2.7km) long, and "higher than the Brooklyn Bridge". 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. Share your stories. When asked if he felt the road was "a waste of taxpayer money", he responded, "Without the bridge, yeah." Miles Glacier Bridge is a four-span through truss bridge located in the U.S. state of Alaska. battlefield park jackson, ms . H.R. The California State Route 39 highway was supposed to connect the city of Los Angeles with rural communities in the San Gabriel . Local officials have said access to Gravina Island, population 50, is needed for the town and its economy to grow. SIEGEL: 2004, April 10th, 2004 an article appears in the New York Times in which you're quoted. SIEGEL: You must have felt like you just completed a touchdown pass, you're thinking Mr. ASHDOWN: Yeah, I thought it was done. H.R. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. 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. [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". [14] In his speech on the Senate floor, Stevens threatened to quit Congress if the funds were removed from his state. Seven fish-bearing streams needed bridges. money for the bridges to nowhere and Congress will apply the money 10 Bridge To Nowhere Was Built In 1936 As Part Of The California State Route 39 Highway Project. Alaska officials have put the final kibosh on the infamous "bridge to nowhere" -- a $400 million project tucked into the federal transportation plan 10 years ago that became the symbol of . Megan McDonald is a writer, photographer, and owner of HuMu Media, an Alaska-based media company. Organise, control, distribute, and measure all of your digital content. disaster relief, Alaska's congressional delegation has dug in its Available for both RF and RM licensing. 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. 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. Milk the next few months for all you can license wise, nothing like a local celebrity to drive your image sales. The borough shifted its support from the bridge to the ferry when it realized the bridge was never going to happen, Bockhorst said. Getting here requires some work. It will take about an hour and a half to complete it, depending on your skill levels. This is looking from Ketchikan across the Tongass Narrows to Gravina Island, the destination of the bridge. In American politics, Alaska is famous for wasted money on a "bridge to nowhere" in the early 2000s. Anchorage Daily News, Diane Mucha of Eagle River wrote, "Of 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. Miles Glacier Bridge, Alaska, damaged by a 1964 earthquake (photograph by Jet Lowe) Birmingham, . This is the sort of challenge that fiscally Look at the highway bill that had 3,000 pork barrel projects on it including bridges to nowhere in Alaska. While the move closes a chapter that has brought the state reams of ridicule, it also leaves open wounds in a community that fought for decades to get federal help. Assuming the of Alaska Sarah Palin holds a T-shirt with the zip code for Ketchikan, Alaska, on it at a gubernatorial campaign forum in September 2006. [54] The motion lost and the funding was kept. 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. (population 50) at a cost to federal taxpayers of $320 million, by The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN. In the meantime, Bridge to Nowhere works for me. It is showing the years isnt it. There were a few different options created for the bridge and Im not sure what the final decision was as I moved from the area a few years ago, but I know several of the plans had the bridge quite a ways south of town, which would mean having to build a new road over on Gravina through an area that is not currently developed. Find the perfect Bridge to nowhere alaska stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. Bridge to Nowhere. Mr. ASHDOWN: No. Great scenery, plenty of interesting details, and a clear, well-marked path. Unfinished highway bridges, Czech republic. "It's getting more and more use all the time," he said. Accuracy and availability may vary. Taking the ferry from Ketchikan, AK to the airport which is on Gravina Island AKA "nowhere."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravina_Island_Bridgehttp://www.boro. Keith Ashdown, chief investigator for the watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense, says he coined the phrase in 2004 after a couple of beers. Required fields are marked *. Palin has been heavily criticized for repeating the stock line about killing the "Bridge to Nowhere" without noting that she supported the project as a candidate for governor. Sarah Palin as the controversy was unfolding and she told him . The Gravina Island bridge project is an embarrassment to the people 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 . Behind the Bridge to Nowhere Ketchikan Alaska As We See It - Through Photographs Fiction Condition: Very Good From a smoke free / Pet free environment If there is a problem with your item once you receive it. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. 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. Improved access was to have come from the controversial bridge, but with bridge plans officially abandoned recently, the state is now looking to better ferry service to improve access to the airport and help open Gravina Island to development. Tag #VISITCALIFORNIA on Instagram to have your trip featured on our page. 2023 Getty Images. Photos published . ", In the Ketchikan It spans the deep gorge - overlooking the lovely Garry beach - one of the prettiest in the Outer Hebrides. Follow it to find a gorge railroad bridge, where occasionally you may even see the Alaska Railroad pass overhead! counted towards a state's equity bonus and thus are part of the Guest Blogging: Bridges to Nowhere and Beyond Arguably his most controversial move came in 2005, when he pushed to get more than $200m (107m) of federal earmarked to build Alaska's "bridge to nowhere", a project that was ultimately dropped . That's progress. All rights reserved. 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". 662: Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gravina_Island_Bridge&oldid=1101616620, Buildings and structures in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, Political controversies in the United States, Transportation in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, Articles with dead external links from January 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Articles containing potentially dated statements from December 2006, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 31 July 2022, at 23:56. Sarah Palin said Friday the project was $329 million short of full funding. [50][51], CNN reporter Abbie Boudreau took a helicopter over the road. At If youre looking for a fun adventure outside, this bridge to nowhere in Alaska is a great place to start! Sarah Palin let the "Road to Nowhere" go ahead because the contract had been signed. Its a rickety ole job, at this point, and walking across it with nearly a foot of snow covering each board was, uhhm, sketchy. Ketchikan, Alaska is infamous for the now-abandoned plan to expensively bridge the strait between the city and its international airport on Gravina Island, dubbed (IMO, unfairly) a "bridge to nowhere". Thank you, Teresa Haney, Your email address will not be published. [12] The west span of the bridge was designed to have a vertical clearance of 120 feet (37m), and the east span of the bridge was to have a vertical clearance of 200 feet (61m).