Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Something New

New Mississippi Bridge 2013-05-11 2

The bridges over the Mississippi at St. Louis are very crowded. There are two very old ones and another that's more modern but has been around for many decades. We need a stent in our arteries.

A new river crossing is nearing completion just north of downtown. The decision was a tussle between the two states it will serve. Illinois, being more liberal and interested in public works (although it's now in considerable financial trouble) wanted to have at least three lanes in each direction and to charge a toll. Missouri, ever the cheapskate, refused to consider tolls. So we're getting two lanes in each direction, which is inadequate. It's amazing the bridge got started. The two states have had so many disagreements that the structure doesn't even have a name yet, although it's not far from opening.

We're in Washington. Pix starting tomorrow.         

New Mississippi Bridge 2013-05-11 1

4 comments:

s.c said...

Lucky for the bridge that it is build at all. I know about a little cycle bridge between to parts of amsterdam where the city council from one side would the bridge a 100 m more to the left then the city council on the other side. That hussle took 10 years to decide.

William Kendall said...

Politics. A miracle anything gets done. I do like this one!

Jack said...

Free-spending Illiois. See what it got them?

The two states seem like New Hampshire and Vermont. Two adjoining states that could not have cultures any more different. I don't think they have bridge spats, though, because a case that went to SCOTUS decided that New Hampshire owns the entire Connecticut River, up to the land on the west bank.

Stefan Jansson said...

Nice when the politicians can get along...

Love the last bridge photo.