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. In the meantime, Bridge to Nowhere works for me. How a 'bridge to nowhere' became a road from nowhere to nowhere pictures of the bridge to nowhere in alaska - kestonrocks.com "We worked 30 years to get funding for this priority project.". its discretion for road projects. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Your email address will not be published. "[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. (population 8,900) with its airport on the Island of Gravina 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". sum of little consequence; what the Senator sees as a problem in Hi Annie. "There's no one on this road," she said. "There's some private land out there and some borough land, so it's being used for access to private lots and access to borough land, and it's also being used for some hunting, people going out sightseeing, berry picking, things like that. Last fall, after House Transportation Committee Chairman Don Young (R-Alaska) and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) earmarked $223 . Par . Drive 11.6 miles north, passing the East Fork Ranger Station at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. All About Sarah Palin Alaska U.S. Presidential Election, iReport.com: Are you in a battleground state? 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Sen. McCain: Well, now we're employing a strategy of guns and pork. Funding for the "Bridge to Nowhere" was continued as of March 2, 2011, in the passing of H.R. The Gilahina Trestle, crossing the Gilahina River, was once an impressive structure. It was paid for by some of the $223 million in federal funding that sparked ridicule among opponents of congressional "pork-barrel" spending. Sarah Palin has touted her eventual decision to abandon the Gravina Island bridge, which she initially supported. money for the bridges to nowhere and Congress will apply the money On Friday, Alaska decided the bridge really was going nowhere, officially abandoning the project in Ketchikan that became a national symbol of federal pork-barrel spending. And he contacted me and he said he wanted to do a story on it. Boudreau also spoke to the McCainPalin campaign spokesperson Meghan Stapleton, who defended the road: "The governor could not change that earmark. serve a tiny fraction of the state's citizens. Fourteen years on, Palin's 'bridge to nowhere' comment still resounds. 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 bridge was projected to cost $398 million. 546 reviews of Bridge to Nowhere "This hike reigns supreme as my favorite day hike in SoCal. The 3.2-mile-long partially paved "road to nowhere" meanders from a small international airport on Gravina Island, home . Today, Senator Tom 396 Bridge To Nowhere California Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images We Don't Need Another "Bridge to Nowhere" - Brookings $148 million returning to Alaska as money the state could use at 15 Fascinating Things You Probably Didnt Know About Denali National Park. The island is connected to the city by a ferry that runs to the airport, well past the point where the bridge was to have been built. So, we're going to have to make some tough choices. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. of Alaska and the U.S. Congress. 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. 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. With stunning scenery, a beautiful bridge, and the Alaska Railroad nearby, this great hike should be on your Alaska bucket list. On the Road to Nowhere: Abandoned Bridges - Atlas Obscura She killed the bridge and saved taxpayers money. Bridge to Nowhere. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. . The National Park Service is all about funding for construction projects, so the Gilahina Trestle will probably be the recipient of some cash. September 16, 2022 by James Brooks, Alaska Beacon. A trail proceeds from their to the mining area at Taylor, Alaska. His advertising and comments that (before September 21, 2006) contradicted Governor Sarah Palin's support of the bridge drew the attention of the media[46] when he chose Palin as his running mate, opening the ticket to charges of hypocrisy. They called the state's decision premature, saying it came without warning. All rights reserved. Times Staff Writer. It's the term she used. This infamous bridge, from . Organise, control, distribute, and measure all of your digital content. Sarah is speaking in Anchorage on Saturday, but I would rather be in Denali thats where Im heading! The Gilahina Trestle is now listed on the National Historic Register, which means it'll probably come in for some . Seven fish-bearing streams needed bridges. 8,000) by a bridge nearly as long as the Golden Gate and higher . 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. It will take about an hour and a half to complete it, depending on your skill levels. Bridge to Nowhere: Directed by Ian Mune. The bridge failed, but the 'Road to Nowhere' was built 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! Free or royalty-free photos and images. Available for both RF and RM licensing. Never mind that Alaska Abandons 'Bridge to Nowhere' Project | Fox News Alaska's 'bridge to nowhere' plan finally scrapped Bridge to Nowhere could not happen again, Schumer says objected to the bridge on their editorial pages. 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 . 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 . [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. 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. 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). Rep. Young requests a few earmarks 15 years after his 'Bridge to This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. area.". Have the bridge to nowhere in Alaska, a $233 million bridge to an island with 50 people on it, or a $1,000 tax credit for every child in America?" All rights reserved. Call this the Railroad to Nowhere. Murphy, who works on the island. Bridge To Nowhere Pictures, Images and Stock Photos Seven years ago, the veteran Republican created a cash gusher for . Gov. Sarah Palin let the "Road to Nowhere" go ahead because the contract had been signed. Transportation officials at the time replied that the road was built with the support of Gov. Even as the White House buzzes with meetings and as Cabinet secretaries troop up to Capitol Hill . ", she answered: "Yes. The controversy began with the 2006 National Appropriations Bill, an omnibus spending bill covering transportation, housing, and urban development for the following year. One very large bridge from Ketchikan to Gravina Island, where the city's airport is. its remote location makes it a rare tourist sigh - bridge to nowhere stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images State officials eventually announced the end of the potential building in 2015. This loop trail is just under three miles long, and a beauty to behold. 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]. This is also the site of Southern Californias only commercial bungee-jumping operation, run by Bungee America. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Download Bridge To Nowhere stock photos. 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. This covered bridge could have elevators and escalators; if medical personnel need to reach the ferry, they can use it. [18], In September 2006, during her campaign for Governor, Sarah Palin visited Ketchikan to express her support for the Gravina Island Bridge project. A larger bridge was built upstream, along with a dam that rerouted the river. 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. But I made it out for a few photos and back in one piece. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. 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". [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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But ferry access isn't likely to provide the kind of developable land Ketchikan needs, he said. responsible senators should relish and, through their votes, show 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. Citation Barak D. Richman, The King of Rockingham County and the Original Bridge to Nowhere Contracts Stories 306-336 (2006) "We went through political hot water tons of it and not just nationally but internationally," Ketchikan-Gateway Borough Mayor Joe Williams said. The Bridge To Nowhere In Alaska Will Capture Your Imagination "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. [54] The motion lost and the funding was kept. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), who hollered earliest and loudest about Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere," says that he spoke with Gov. Unfinished highway bridges at the water reservoir Svihov. The trail crosses the river so often that you quickly abandon all hope of dry feet. Ketchikan looks like a densely populated little strip. Bridge to Nowhere is an unforgettable hike, and an understandable Los Angeles favorite. 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 . In 1938, a flood washed out the partly completed road to the south, leaving the 120-foot-high structure stranded. "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.". It features wide shoulders and sweeping curves to handle the large volume of traffic the road was expected to see one day. All rights reserved. DOT officials at the time said that if they didn't then continue with the bridge, they might be required to pay back to the federal government the $28 million it spent on the road. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. It has also become an embarrassment to the Getting here requires some work. Bridge to Nowhere photo, Ketchikan, Alaska. Required fields are marked *. the blue duck lodge located in the whanganui national park is a working cattle farm with a focus on conservation. "For somebody who touts process and transparency in getting projects done, I'm disappointed and taken aback," said state Rep. Kyle Johansen, R-Ketchikan. $220 Million+ For A Bridge To An Island With 50 People?!? Despite the counted towards a state's equity bonus and thus are part of the SIEGEL: Called by its critics, The Bridge to Nowhere, that was April 10th. this national humiliation, many in Alaska have vented their anger How can we help to get that bridge to no where? Clifford Winston Sunday, April 13, 2014. 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. In 2006, with the bridge in dispute and increasingly unlikely to ever be built, then-Gov. the House leadership exactly what they think of this childish Look at the highway bill that had 3,000 pork barrel projects on it including bridges to nowhere in Alaska. The Bridge to Somewhere | Steve Schneider - YouTube You may get to see a few daredevils take the plunge. 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. 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". While discussing the Gravina Island Bridge during an ABC News interview that aired on September 12, 2008, Charles Gibson made the following comment: "but it's now pretty clearly documented. them by the taxpayers. "Leadership staffer suggested that retribution could be levied for It's actually a nice 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. Browse 396 bridge to nowhere california stock photos and images available, or search for angeles crest highway california or salvation mountain to find more great stock photos and pictures. When new Gov. 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. 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 . 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. Behind the Bridge to Nowhere Ketchikan Alaska As We See It - Through Origin of bridge unknown. [50][52], Alaska Department of Transportation spokesman Roger Wetherell disagreed, stating that Palin could have canceled the contract upon taking office and reimbursed contractors for any expenses incurred in association with the project, as happened when Palin cancelled a $18.6 million contract on a Juneau road and reimbursed the contractor for $65,500 in expenses. 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. Required fields are marked *. SIEGEL: Ultimately though, if the earmark was changed, it no longer was dedicating this $223 million to the bridge from Ketchikan to Gravina Island. In American politics, Alaska is famous for wasted money on a "bridge to nowhere" in the early 2000s. She changed her mind, he said, when "she saw that Alaska was being perceived as taking from the country and not giving". However, residents continue to seek funding for the Ketchikan-Gravina span. Hopefully it works out for you Ron. Homer, Alaska, wrote, "Alaskans owe an apology to the people of New It seems like a small gap for such an expensive bridge, but this is the same channel the cruise ships use toenter town, so I imagine it would have had to be a very tall bridge. Senator told a closed-door meeting of conservatives that the plan 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. Yeah that section is actually pretty badly collapsing on the right its all tilted and askew. But the three-mile access road that was built on the island is ready for residents to take a drive to nowhere. Ketchikan Airport Alaska Bridge to Nowhere - YouTube 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 . What some people might not realize is that Bridge to Nowhere was actually part of a major infrastructure project. Bridge to Nowhere photo, Ketchikan, Alaska. In the years 1965-1975 was carried construction of a water reservoir Svihov and both bridges were flooded almost to the level . 10,957 Bridge To Nowhere Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images Gov. 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. The project also had a history of federal appropriations showing support there as well, it said. recognizing that the citizens of Alaska, including many in Theres plenty of wildlife nearby, so pack bear spray, and stay vigilant along the trail. Alaska Knows the Real Story of the Bridge to Nowhere - YouTube irresponsibility of many in Congress toward the money entrusted to 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. and voting to keep them there. Pass San Gabriel Reservoir and turn right on East Fork Road. [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". Palin "bridge to nowhere" line angers many Alaskans | Reuters You'll receive your first newsletter soon! 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. "But we need to focus on what we can do, rather than fight over what has happened.". heels, and many of the delegation's colleagues, including all of 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 . H.R. 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. The little bit of development you do see on Gravina Island is the Ketchikan Airport, currently serviced by a ferry. course, Alaska should and, hopefully, will volunteer to reject the Alaska's Most Photo-Worthy Bridges | ALASKA.ORG the Senator seems to view $75 million in taxpayers' dollars as a [3] Anchorage Daily News, Diane Mucha of Eagle River wrote, "Of 23 Juin juin 23, 2022. pictures of the bridge to nowhere in alaska. Others called it the bridge to nowhere.