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. Every flight into Gravina Island requires a 15-minute ferry ride to reach the more densely populated Revillagigedo Island. Well this helps put a face to the name. 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. A true bridge to nowhere. 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. Its since fallen into some disrepair, as is evident from this image. September 2006: Palin, campaigning for governor in Ketchikan, holds up a pro-bridge T-shirt proclaiming, "Nowhere Alaska 99901," referring to the primary zip code of Ketchikan. Unfinished highway bridges, Czech republic. No, I dont have pictures of any of those folks, I dont even have any photos of the Wasilla City Hall that would probably sell. [14] In his speech on the Senate floor, Stevens threatened to quit Congress if the funds were removed from his state. It started in 2002, he says, when he got a tip about a huge pork barrel project. 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. 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. With stunning scenery, a beautiful bridge, and the Alaska Railroad nearby, this great hike should be on your Alaska bucket list. 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. And so, the governor had no options." 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. Bridge to Nowhere photo, Ketchikan, Alaska. 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. authority to be trusted with hard-earned tax dollars. them by the taxpayers. This loop trail is just under three miles long, and a beauty to behold. The 86 mile Nome-Taylor gravel highway ends at this one-lane bridge spanning the Kougarok River. The town seven blocks wide and eight miles long has little room to grow. Mr. ASHDOWN: No. , Your email address will not be published. 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". Fiscally responsible Members of Because the trestle sits right beside where the McCarthy Road currently runs, its become a significant vista for most visitors to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve; Id rather see it NOT maintained, and let it disappear into the woods over time, but thats clearly not going to happen. With Matthew Hunter, Margaret Umbers, Shelly Luxford, Stephen Judd. 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. That had to be spent on the Gravina road and nothing else. Every day, another news organization affirms that Sarah Palin was for it before she was against it. He wrote this excellent piece which I think basically was its introduction to the national audience. congressional leadership, support its resistance. Your email address will not be published. recognizing that the citizens of Alaska, including many in Bridge was reassembled at it's present site. 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. On October 20, 2005, H.R. [34], The city of Ketchikan has already begun to develop roads and a small amount of infrastructure for Gravina Island's 50 inhabitants. Times Staff Writer. Yeah, this was taken last week. She said the best option would be to upgrade the ferry system. Transportation officials at the time replied that the road was built with the support of Gov. Bridge to Nowhere. That's where the bridge was supposed to pick up." Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Miles Glacier Bridge, Alaska, damaged by a 1964 earthquake (photograph by Jet Lowe) Birmingham, . Then-Gov. But the three-mile access road that was built on the island is ready for residents to take a drive to nowhere. June 22, 2022; justin jefferson under armour contract; guardala mouthpiece history; pictures of the bridge to nowhere in alaska This covered bridge could have elevators and escalators; if medical personnel need to reach the ferry, they can use it. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Call this the Railroad to Nowhere. It was paid for by some of the $223 million in federal funding that sparked ridicule among opponents of congressional "pork-barrel" spending. But Alaska still got the money. As anyone running for statewide office in Alaska, to oppose a project like this would have been a political suicide. Even at that, I dont know if there is much money to be made! state-by-state allocation formula. The Alaska Region of the National Park Service announced this week it is moving ahead with a plan for a $7.4 million bridge to almost nowhere in remote Katmai National Park and Preserve, where . The road is not yet paved that was expected to happen following bridge construction. Palin could have stopped construction of this road," said Weinstein, who wore his "Nowhere, Alaska" T-shirt to an interview with CNN. sum of little consequence; what the Senator sees as a problem in 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 . pictures of the bridge to nowhere in alaska; pictures of the bridge to nowhere in alaska. Ketchikan, do not value the Gravina Island bridge project, its You need to come visit the Clearwater/St.Pete area of Florida. I told the Congress, thanks, but no thanks on that Bridge to Nowhere. State officials eventually announced the end of the potential building in 2015. 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. "[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. The decision in September 2004 was actually for two bridges, connecting Pennock Island in the middle, and is known as Alternative F1. Today, the lonely Bridge to Nowhere still arcs gracefully over the San Gabriel River, providing one of Southern Californias oddest, albeit epic, hiking destinations. 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. Tell me about that. its remote location makes it a rare tourist sigh - bridge to nowhere stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images 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". Seven fish-bearing streams needed bridges. [1] The project encountered fierce opposition outside Alaska as a symbol of pork barrel spending and is labeled as one of the more prominent "bridges to nowhere". Follow it to find a gorge railroad bridge, where occasionally you may even see the Alaska Railroad pass overhead! KETCHIKAN, Alaska (CNN) -- The "Bridge to Nowhere" may have been shelved. 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". This makes it a great family hike because little legs will have no problem keeping up with you. Nice to actually see where my tax dollars were supposed to be spent (hope you enjoyed them even if you didnt get the bridge ). The cart was put before the horse when road builders constructed a massive concrete bridge over the San Gabriel River in 1936. Bridge Cordova Alaska | Miles Glacier Bridge (Million Dollar Bridge), Cordova, Alaska. irresponsibility of many in Congress toward the money entrusted to A number of alternative bridge routes were considered. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. It has also become an embarrassment to the It spans a deep gorge overlooking the lovely Garry beach, one of the prettiest in the Outer Hebrides. And it basically put a bunch of things in motion and it introduced a really bad project on the front page of New York Times to the public. At a public forum, Palin held up a pro-bridge T-shirt designed by a Ketchikan artist, Mary Ida Henrikson. SIEGEL: But by that time, John McCain had long since seized upon the Alaska bridge as the epitome of all that's wrong with Washington. And I think it coalesced a lot of things that he had seen into, you know, one word. September 25, 2011. 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. be used for infrastructure reconstruction in the hurricane-affected willingness of many in Alaska to give back the bridge to pay for Make sure a trip to Denali is in your near future! [13], On October 21, 2005, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) offered an amendment to remove funds for the Gravina Island and Knik Arm bridges, and divert the funds to rebuild a bridge over Lake Pontchartrain that was damaged by Hurricane Katrina. "We have nothing to show for it.". The earmark for the infamous Alaska bridge, referred to as the "bridge to nowhere" allocated $223 million dollars to build a bridge from Ketchikan, Alaska, to a tiny island. 3058 [109th]'s first version passed the U.S. Senate with 93 votes for, 1 against. So the tipping point, according to McCain was a year before Palin ran in Alaska supporting the bridge. 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. Copyright 2008 NPR. BH Photo #131225 Pass San Gabriel Reservoir and turn right on East Fork Road. Watch where road ends . The next year, they changed the language. I have a feeling this might have some legs in it still. of Alaska and the U.S. Congress. In November 2006, Sarah Palin is elected and from what we can tell, she was supporting it. 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. But the "Road to Nowhere" is alive and well. 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. 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. The legend on the shirt was "Nowhere Alaska 99901", referencing the buzzword of "Bridge to Nowhere" and the primary ZIP code of Ketchikan. It is built of . 662: Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011[4][5][6] This may be the most well-known bridge to have never been built. 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. Rumors say that it took less than 8 days to build, and the first train ran across its length on January 28, 1911. Clifford Winston Sunday, April 13, 2014. A spokeswoman for Young said the congressman would have no comment. "I mean, it's pretty here." Let us know in the comments below! [50][51], CNN reporter Abbie Boudreau took a helicopter over the road. Here is a link to the map and story about the other nowhere bridge (the one to Sen Murkowski and shortcut to Wasilla) Alaska Congressmen Attempt to Earmark 'Bridge to Nowhere' For Personal Profiteering. The bridge was projected to cost $398 million. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. But she didn't attempt to void the already signed construction contracts for the approach road. It is showing the years isnt it. Keep up the great work! bill to transfer the $223 million that Congress had previously "We worked 30 years to get funding for this priority project.". ", Back in Anchorage, [7], According to the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, the project's goal was to "provide better service to the airport and allow for development of large tracts of land on the island". Getting here requires some work. "There is no question we desperately need to construct new roads in this state, including in southeast Alaska, where skyrocketing costs for the Alaska Marine Highway System present an impediment to the state's budget and the region's economy," von Scheben said in a statement. Legal Statement. Ive really enjoyed your photos. Tap into Getty Images global-scale, data-driven insights and network of over 340,000creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Republican Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska became the object of strong media criticism when he strongly opposed diverting the Gravina and Knik Arm Bridge funds to help in the disaster aid. its remote location makes it a rare tourist sigh - bridge to nowhere stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images its remote location makes it a rare tourist sigh - bridge to nowhere stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images Even as the White House buzzes with meetings and as Cabinet secretaries troop up to Capitol Hill . 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. 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. $220 Million+ For A Bridge To An Island With 50 People?!? The Gravina Island bridge project is an embarrassment to the people 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 One House Never mind that Funding for the "Bridge to Nowhere" was continued as of March 2, 2011, in the passing of H.R. 2022 Anchorage Daily News. 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. Your first glimpse of the bridge is astonishingits much larger and majestic than youd expectbut the weirdness doesnt stop here. the blue duck lodge located in the whanganui national park is a working cattle farm with a focus on conservation. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos The National Park Service is all about funding for construction projects, so the Gilahina Trestle will probably be the recipient of some cash. [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. Mr. ASHDOWN: Right. This is a video I made with Eric Ledgin and Sarah North about Alaska's attempt to build a 400 Million Dollar Bridge connecting Ketchikan, Alaska to it's airp. Have any photos of the people Palin fired? FHWA-AK-EIS-03-01-F, DOT&PF Project 67698, Federal Project ACHP-0922(5)", "H.R. Download Bridge To Nowhere stock photos. This one-lane historic bridge was built in the early 1900s, from 1909-1910, as a one-track railroad bridge for the Copper River and . When asked if he felt the road was "a waste of taxpayer money", he responded, "Without the bridge, yeah." This is looking from Ketchikan across the Tongass Narrows to Gravina Island, the destination of the bridge. Find the perfect Bridge to nowhere alaska stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. The $398 million bridge would have connected Ketchikan, on one island in southeastern Alaska, to its airport on another nearby island. Great scenery, plenty of interesting details, and a clear, well-marked path. SIEGEL: Was there any moment in Governor Palin's handling of this appropriation that can be construed as her saying thanks, but no thanks? 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. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. [29][30][31] Palin stated: Ketchikan desires a better way to reach the airport, but the $398 million bridge is not the answer. way of three separate earmarks in the recent highway bill. Last fall, after House Transportation Committee Chairman Don Young (R-Alaska) and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) earmarked $223 . people of Alaska and to responsible members of Congress who now "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. All rights reserved. McCain himself also weighed in on the Gravina Island Bridge. The bridge would have used two high spans to connect the two big islands, as well as Pennock Island, in the channel between the two. its discretion for road projects. In the 2008 presidential campaign, two projects in Alaska were ridiculed as examples of pork-barrel . The bridge is quite pretty, especially if you see it glowing in the setting sun. would direct at most $75 million to Louisiana, with the remaining Palin's campaign coordinator in the city, Republican Mike Elerding, remarked, "She said 'thanks but no thanks,' but they kept the money." The road was never finished. The bridge was projected to cost $398 million. 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. Remember Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere," a $400 million span that was supposed to connect Ketchikan to its airport on sparsely inhabited Gravina Island? Alaskas Ultimate Bridge to Nowhere The Gilahina Trestle fades into winter, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. (population 50) at a cost to federal taxpayers of $320 million, by effective thing that the residents of Ketchikan could do to help or redistributed. 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. Senator told a closed-door meeting of conservatives that the plan of a hurricane-damaged bridge in Louisiana. Yep, looks wide enough for perhaps at least a 2 lane paved highway maybe a Micky Ds rest stop over there at the end. Frank Murkowski ordered work on the bridge project to begin with the construction of the highway south from the airport to the channel between Gravina Island and Revillagigedo Island, on which Ketchikan resides.