The Ohio River Bridges Project could threaten smaller transportation projects around the Louisville region. The C-J reported today that because there’s no financing plan for the $4.1 Billion fiasco, the Federal government could freeze important short-term transportation projects. A December deadline has been imposed to settle on a financing plan.“Four years ago, officials expected that the states’ federal gasoline tax revenue would be enough to cover the cost, which was estimated at $1.4 billion.We’ve known that the demands of financing this mega-project are far greater than the expected return. For merely half the price, the 8664.org plan solves the same transportation problem without requiring tolls or the destruction of Downtown Louisville. It’s definitely not too late to fix our transportation issues in a responsible way. Perhaps the Feds will finally realize that the Spaghetti Junction-two-bridge solution is as “unrealistic” as many have know for so long.
“But now that the project has climbed to $4.1 billion, Kentucky and Indiana are looking for more money — possibly including tolls — and the federal government wants details.
…
“The government requires all federally financed transportation projects to have clear sources of funding to keep unrealistic projects from tying up money.”
New Albany is a state of mind … but whose? Since 2004, we’ve been observing the contemporary scene in this slowly awakening old river town. If it’s true that a pre-digital stopped clock is right twice a day, when will New Albany learn to tell time?
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Broken Sidewalk: "Bridges Project Threatens Other Local Transportation Projects."
From today's Broken Sidewalk blog, reprinted in its entirety: Bridges Project Threatens Other Local Transportation Projects.
East End bridge. Period. No "86ing" 64, either.
ReplyDeleteReaders will note that the state of Indiana appointed absolutely no one with local, public accountability to its bridges finance team.
ReplyDeleteReaders will also note that none of our local elected officials at the state level or otherwise have yet uttered a peep in response to that.
While continuously claiming that they have overwhelming, broad support for their efforts, Bridges Project advocates have worked very hard to keep public voices out of the conversation, meeting only the federal minimum requirements for input and then promptly ignoring what was said.
The way things currently stand, it could cost $6 every time someone crosses a river bridge and returns this time next year and those paying the tolls daily will have no direct recourse with accountable parties.
I don't buy that.
Any public official - Stemler, Sipes, Clere, England, Galligan, etc. - who supports this Bridges Project fiasco should be removed from office at the earliest opportunity in return for their dismal representation.