| Anyone viewing pictures of the recent Minneapolis | | | | each year. In addition Congress and State |
| area bridge collapse on I-35 was saddened, | | | | Legislatures pass highway bills and earmark funds |
| stunned, and probably given pause to reflect on | | | | for special and pet projects. And yet, when a |
| their own daily travels. It could happen to me! My | | | | bridge collapses, the first chirp we hear is a call |
| family! Here in my town! How could this happen in | | | | for more tax payer monies. |
| 21st century America? Who is to blame? There is | | | | Incompetence, bureaucracy, layers of red tape, |
| always somebody to blame, isn't there? | | | | endless studies and simple mismanagement result |
| These are but a few of the comments and | | | | in these billions of available taxpayer dollars |
| perspectives I have seen and heard since the | | | | producing far too little in public works. Indiana |
| tragic collapse. The immediate response from the | | | | recently sold the Skyway Bridge to an Australian |
| ruling and media class was to call for more money | | | | Spanish concern for over a billion dollars. The |
| to be invested in infrastructure. Always more | | | | Skyway, from Gary to Chicago, was a constant |
| money, the starving government is continually on | | | | construction snarl for years. Why would a private |
| a penurious diet forced upon them by stingy | | | | concern buy a supposed "white elephant" like this |
| taxpayers. Give me a break. | | | | toll bridge? Simply because they will run it more |
| Last night I viewed a documentary television | | | | efficiently, keep ahead of maintenance issues, |
| program on the building of the Great Northern | | | | eliminate bureaucracy and turn a profit. |
| Railroad. The line was envisioned, built and funded | | | | Before 1983 100% of the gasoline taxes collected |
| by James J. Hill. Mr. Hill used private funds solely to | | | | were devoted to highway maintenance and |
| construct the 1700 miles of track, bridges, | | | | construction. Then the Congress, the same |
| stations and spur lines that became The Great | | | | Congress now seeking more highway taxes, |
| Northern railroad. He was not a distant tycoon, | | | | began to devote a significant portion of the gas |
| managing the business operation from afar. Mr. Hill | | | | tax to mass transit projects. The result of this |
| spent almost everyday in the field actually | | | | co-mingled revenue is a distortion of the delivery |
| supervising the construction of the massive | | | | of transit benefits. Formerly adequate funding for |
| project. | | | | roads has been utilized to promote light rail and |
| The Great Northern was an engineering marvel. It | | | | pet mass transit projects that cannot otherwise |
| was the northernmost of the main east/west | | | | support themselves. |
| lines built after the Civil War and was key to | | | | The Los Angeles subway is a perfect example. |
| developing and populating the northern tier of the | | | | Politicians lusted for this boondoggle. It was built |
| United States. The line was an engineering marvel, | | | | and nobody came! Light rail projects have worked |
| built through a vast wilderness and traversing the | | | | almost nowhere they have been built, and yet, |
| treacherous Rocky Mountains. Work was | | | | they are constantly proposed for cities as an |
| principally done by hand with dynamite and | | | | alternative to road construction, as a means to |
| nitro-glycerine used as blasting agents. A key | | | | aid the environment and lighten traffic loads. The |
| stretch of 670 miles of track and infrastructure | | | | goal is laudable, the reality and results are |
| was laid during a 15-month period alone. | | | | laughable. |
| Contrast this with public works projects we all | | | | The mismanagement of the "Big Dig" in Boston is |
| view daily as we weave along our neighborhood | | | | another very visible example of government at |
| streets and highways. Orange barrels line miles of | | | | work, or more accurately, not at work. This public |
| highway, on each side, restricting traffic flow, and | | | | works project was many years and billions of |
| on many, many days, not a bulldozer, asphalt | | | | dollars over budget. Once finally completed, the |
| truck or workman is in sight. Jobs remain | | | | tunnel, under the Charles River, sprung leaks. |
| unfinished for many years. Mean while, usually in | | | | Lawsuits have been filed, fingers pointed, blame |
| near proximity to this inactivity, we can watch | | | | placed. I maintain that a private concern, |
| whole subdivisions constructed, shopping venues | | | | contracted to perform the construction of the |
| go up and private property developed with speed, | | | | "Big Dig" tunnel in downtown Boston, given a |
| craftsmanship, on time (or early) and on (or | | | | profit incentive, would have finished on time (or |
| under) budget. | | | | sooner) and on budget (if not under). As it is, local, |
| Why the obvious disparity in work rate, | | | | state and federal taxpayers have been forced to |
| productivity, and quite simply, bang for the buck | | | | bite this smelly bullet. |
| that we view in private versus public | | | | The loss of life as a result of the I-35 tragedy is |
| development. My observation relies on the old | | | | horrible. The failure of the span is a major |
| saw; "it's other peoples money". | | | | commercial blow to the Twin Cities economy. The |
| Jim Hill had his own money at risk in order to build | | | | rebuilding will be a major inconvenience to |
| the Great Northern railroad, get it operational and | | | | commuters. However, the bridge did not fall |
| commence generating revenue and profit. Public | | | | because of a lack of public funds. The very |
| projects face no such pressure. They are built | | | | agencies that are crying for more funds are |
| with taxpayer, "other peoples money". These | | | | directly responsible for the lack of maintenance, |
| projects seem abstract, faceless, and | | | | inefficiencies, bureaucratic bungling and |
| bureaucratic. The taxpayer has been numbed to | | | | mismanagement that results in such a debacle. |
| the inefficiencies of government at all levels and | | | | There are better ways to build and maintain |
| has come to tolerate a significant amount of | | | | infrastructure. Unfortunately, we, the taxpaying |
| incompetence. This incompetence they would | | | | citizenry, are too complacent to demand the |
| never tolerate in their private commercial dealings. | | | | same level of competence and efficiency we |
| State and Federal Highway funds are generated | | | | expect when we buy a carton of milk, a sofa, or |
| each time we buy a gallon of gas, buy a license | | | | build a simple sunroom on a home. "We have |
| and buy a vehicle. Trucks pay heavy levies to use | | | | seen the enemy, and he is us". |
| public right of ways. Billions of dollars are available | | | | |