She said there wasn't enough money to . Spanning the Gila River, the McPhaul Bridge was built in 1929 and is just shy of 800 feet in length. She killed the bridge and saved taxpayers money. Yeah the downtown area is a pretty dense, but there are a couple roads leading out of town to some less populated and much more scenic areas. You were wearing a T-shirt in the 2006 campaign, showed your support for the bridge to nowhere." 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. Bridge to Nowhere: Directed by Ian Mune. Follow it to find a gorge railroad bridge, where occasionally you may even see the Alaska Railroad pass overhead! Images taken 8-19-07. The bridge was projected to cost $398 million. And so, the governor had no options." That had to be spent on the Gravina road and nothing else. Based upon your other photos from Ketchikan, it looks like all the money was needed because it was to be a tall bridge so the cruise ships could get underneath it! Bridge Cordova Alaska | Miles Glacier Bridge (Million Dollar Bridge), Cordova, Alaska. When she was running for governor in 2006, Palin said she was insulted by the term "bridge to nowhere," according to Ketchikan Mayor Bob Weinstein, a Democrat, and Mike Elerding, a Republican . It spans the deep gorge - overlooking the lovely Garry beach - one of the prettiest in the Outer Hebrides. Now, thanks to recent news events, this image just may havea life after all. 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. But the "Road to Nowhere" is alive and well. battlefield park jackson, ms . At Much of the publics attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on inaccurate portrayals of the projects here. 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. McCain himself also weighed in on the Gravina Island Bridge. authority to be trusted with hard-earned tax dollars. "Maybe the 200,000 people who cross that bridge every day would have been safer than spending $233 million of your tax dollars on a bridge in Alaska to an island with 50 people on it.". Its since fallen into some disrepair, as is evident from this image. The bridge to nowhere - sometimes called Garry Bridge lies beyond the Tolsta Village and is on the route of what was to be Lord Leverhulme's new route to Ness. Despite the Bridge to Nowhere Photo. The trail is graded and well-marked and youll climb no more than 374 feet of elevation throughout the hike. Dreamstime is the world`s largest stock photography community. "I mean, it's pretty here." Legal Statement. Republican U.S. House candidates Sarah Palin (on screen) and Nick . Call this the Railroad to Nowhere. the Senator seems to view $75 million in taxpayers' dollars as a NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. She changed her mind, he said, when "she saw that Alaska was being perceived as taking from the country and not giving". Nowhere," the bridge in Alaska would connect the town of Ketchikan "It's getting more and more use all the time," he said. [8], A ferry runs to the island every 30 minutes, and every 15 minutes during the MaySeptember peak tourist season. "The Bridge to Nowhere" has been a much-used phrase by the McCain Campaign. But I made it out for a few photos and back in one piece. Coburn (R-OK) will offer an amendment to the Senate's appropriation If Alaska loses [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. [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. 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. The controversy began with the 2006 National Appropriations Bill, an omnibus spending bill covering transportation, housing, and urban development for the following year. Im sure the ferry owner is happy. approved for a bridge in Ketchikan, Alaska, to fund reconstruction The idea was to replace the ferry connecting Ketchikan with Gravina Island, where the Ketchikan Airport is. But some locals said they'll find some way to use the road, such as running or bicycle riding. Download Bridge To Nowhere stock photos. You will only receive blog posts. Even as the White House buzzes with meetings and as Cabinet secretaries troop up to Capitol Hill . SIEGEL: That Parade magazine cover was published in November 2005. state-by-state allocation formula. find themselves tarred by the same brush dipped in the muck of the Have any photos of the people Palin fired? Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. 1. Sarah Palin came into office after having ousted Murkowski in the 2006 primary, she stopped the bridge project, saying it had lost congressional support. [50][51], CNN reporter Abbie Boudreau took a helicopter over the road. $220 Million+ For A Bridge To An Island With 50 People?!? road in the morning fog - bridge to nowhere california stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. This infamous bridge, from . So, we're going to have to make some tough choices. This loop trail is just under three miles long, and a beauty to behold. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. "[36] Newsweek, commenting on Palin's "astonishing pivot", remarked: "Now she talks as if she always opposed the funding."[42]. In addition to the road itself, another $11 million was spent building a 700-foot-long tunnel under the Ketchikan airport runway to get to the Gravina Island Highway from the airport terminal. Tell me about that. Bridge to Nowhere. Keith Ashdown, chief investigator for the watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense, says he coined the phrase in 2004 after a couple of beers. Less publicized is that, before the bridge project was cancelled, an approach road about three miles long was built to connect the airport with . present, a ferry service runs to the island, but some in the town 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. PALIN: I'm not going to stand in the way of progress, that our congressional delegation, in the position of strength that they have right now, they're making those efforts for the state of Alaska to build up our infrastructure. Crazy times. 2022 Anchorage Daily News. Homer, Alaska, wrote, "Alaskans owe an apology to the people of New In advertisements, McCain labeled the bridge as wasteful spending,[43] and in an August 2007 town hall speech recorded on video[44] and quoted again on April 30, 2008,[45] he blamed the Minneapolis I-35 bridge collapse on the Gravina Island Bridge. The road is not yet paved that was expected to happen following bridge construction. measure," BNA reported. Biden's bridge to nowhere. 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". Alaska officially abandoned Friday a controversial $400 million public works project mockingly called the 'bridge to nowhere' that became a symbol of pork barrel spending. Ron Niebrugge September 9, 2008 Alaska, Photos, Travel 13 Comments. Kids on an outing in the forest come up against a mysterious hermit who lives on the other side of a bridge, and he is definitely not happy to see them. Bridge to Nowhere is an unforgettable hike, and an understandable Los Angeles favorite. Yeah, this was taken last week. Dubbed the "bridge to nowhere," it would have connected the small city of Ketchikan to its airport on nearby Gravina island, and it secured a $223 million earmark in 2005. "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. Times Staff Writer. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 15 Fascinating Things You Probably Didnt Know About Denali National Park. 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. Look at the highway bill that had 3,000 pork barrel projects on it including bridges to nowhere in Alaska. The Luten Bridge Co. offers a window into a southern community's struggles with a divided social order, the introduction of wealth into local politics, and a changing economy. Fiscally responsible Members of I told the Congress, thanks, but no thanks on that Bridge to Nowhere. You may get to see a few daredevils take the plunge. Megan McDonald is a writer, photographer, and owner of HuMu Media, an Alaska-based media company. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. [28] A month later, in September 2007, Palin formally canceled the project. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN. [14] In his speech on the Senate floor, Stevens threatened to quit Congress if the funds were removed from his state. It is already doing that, even if nothing has yet been built there, said DOT environmental planner John Barnett. No Thanks Add This Place . ANCHORAGE The bridge to nowhere is still trying to get somewhere. . Located on a hiking trail in Denali National Park, this easy trail takes you along the river to a bridge right in the middle of nowhere. 546 reviews of Bridge to Nowhere "This hike reigns supreme as my favorite day hike in SoCal. 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 . Well this helps put a face to the name. Let us know in the comments below! Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. recognizing that the citizens of Alaska, including many in 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. 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]. Yep, looks wide enough for perhaps at least a 2 lane paved highway maybe a Micky Ds rest stop over there at the end. The bridge to nowhere - sometimes called Garry Bridge lies beyond the Tolsta Village - and is on the route of what was to be Lord Leverhulme's new route to Ness. You know, the senator has been committed to cutting wasteful spending for a long time. [19], In October 2006, when asked, "Would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges? Today, the lonely Bridge to Nowhere still arcs gracefully over the San Gabriel River, providing one of Southern California's oddest, albeit epic, hiking destinations. But some of that money was still spent building a road to nowhere. Pass San Gabriel Reservoir and turn right on East Fork Road. SIEGEL: Senator McCain has been assailing the Bridge to Nowhere as the epitome of what's wrong with Washington ever since the spring of 2004. Keith Ashdown, the chief investigator for the watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense, is credited with naming the bridge.