Sarah Palin has become famous as a cost-cutting conservative in part for her stance on the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere” in Alaska. The bridge was to be built with federal tax payer dollars to connect the small town of Ketchikan to Gravina Island, where the town’s airport is located. Currently, travelers take a short 5 minute water taxi ride from the airport terminal (on the mainland side) to the airport runways on the island side.
The bridge wasn’t built, partially because the cost ballooned to $400 million, and partially due to national scrutiny over how $223 million from the federal transportation budget was earmarked for such a low priority expenditure. Unfortunately, when the bridge project was scrapped, the money wasn’t returned to American tax payers. Instead, that money went into Alaska’s general transportation fund. In the end, I’m not sure how the cancellation of the bridge project makes Sarah Palin a cost cutter, but at least $223 million wasn’t spent on an overpriced, underutilized bridge.
I mention the famous bridge to nowhere, because in Phoenix, we actually built a bridge to nowhere, but even better, it doesn’t come from anywhere either. Apparently our own Governor Napolitano wasn’t able to kill this clever idea. This new “64th St” bridge across Loop 101 in North Phoenix literally connects from nowhere to nowhere:
The word Closed is covering 64th St, which I suspect will be that way for years to come. 64th Street ends at Bell Road over a mile south of this off ramp location. 64th Street ends where it does, because the Central Arizona Project Canal cuts across just north of Bell Rd, which would require 64th Street to have a bridge over the canal. As we all know, bridges are expensive, and there are no businesses or homes on the north side of the canal, so it makes sense that there is no bridge over the canal. This new bridge over Loop 101 seems to be built to handle a great deal of traffic, except there are no businesses, homes, or even roads to businesses and homes, for which the ramp could possibly have a use. I know the city planners are hopeful that there will be future, significant development in this area, but that development hasn’t even broken ground.
Here’s Google’s satellite view of the area. The new 64th Street off ramp is just to the west of the Loop 101 Highway marker, smack dab in the middle of….NOTHING.
To the north of this new off ramp, there’s even more of nothing. For almost 2 1/2 miles, open desert continues to Pinnacle Peak Road. After Pinnacle Peak, there are a few ranches, but it’s pretty desolate.
Again, I know this area will one day be well developed. Phoenix city planners hope to continue the mixed-use theme that started with City North all along this corridor. But none of it exists now, is under construction now, or to my knowledge, is planned to be developed now.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Argh. Yet another infuriating fact of life in Phoenix, er…Scottsdale…em…uh…
I can remember the days long ago when the Loop 101 looked as though one day it would exists as evidenced by overpasses dotting the horizon on the Indian reservation. Looks like we’re at it again.
Steve,
I used to think road construction was bad in Phoenix until I moved to Albuquerque. We have a saying here “You can’t get there from here”. It refers to the fact that there are only a few roads that cross the Rio Grande and if any one of those roads are closed you have to travel an extra 6 or so miles north or south to the next road that crosses over. There is ALWAYS construction here and on a short 30 minute commute, travelers will pass at least 2-3 sites that are down to one lane or road closed.
Jenifer
Jon’s spot-on. I remember living in McCormick Ranch in the mid 1990’s; there were a couple/few big, overpass bridges out in the reservation, clearly visable from Pima Rd. But they were completely isolated. ADOT was the butt of a lot of jokes about them, but this was clearly before we could all blog our digital pictures! Turns out Loop 101 was for real (eventually…)
I remember those bridges all too well. When they were constructed I lived in North Scottsdale (still live in North Scottsdale) and worked at Intel in Chandler. I drove past them every day, cursing their existence, and the inability for me to drive the freeway that didn’t exist.
It refers to the fact that there are only a few roads that cross the Rio Grande and if any one of those roads are closed you have to travel an extra 6 or so miles north or south to the next road that crosses over and i think it manageable by people easily.