One “Bridge to Nowhere” Cancelled

Congress today removed the $223 million earmark for a new bridge to connect the town of Ketchikan, Alaska to a nearby island of 50 full-time residents. I’ve been to Ketchikan and $223 million could buy the entire place. The funds for the bridge will stay in Alaska but now Congress will allow state transportation officials to control the money. Congress should have reallocated the money to Katrina relief or deficit reduction, so this is an exceedingly minor victory, but an important symbolic one.