Comments on: Joe Biden’s Road Map Goes To Nowhere

By: Darrel Cole

Darrel Cole — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:27:24 +0000

Thanks to the creative reporting and editing by CNN, the number of posts on this topic have been too many to combat. However, the Delaware Department of Transportation would like to make the following comments to the CNN story:
The story by Drew Griffin re US Sen. Biden’s support for a new bridge over the Indian River Inlet in Delaware cleverly left out key facts, to support the story’s assertion that earmarks for this bridge are similar to Alaska’s Bridge to Nowhere. Here are the points in the story that need elaboration/correction:
CNN: “after tourists are gone it can seem like a bridge between two nowheres”
DelDOT Fact: In the summer months, approximately 24,000 vehicles a day use this bridge. Non summer months, 14,000 to 15,000. It is the economic , freight and emergency link for lower Delaware to northern Delaware, and for southern states to state’s beyond Delaware such as Pennsylvania, New York etc.
CNN: Sunlight Foundation said the bridge is not a priority project.
DelDOT Fact: First, how would they know? The Sunlight Foundation never called us to check, and didn’t return my phone call when I questioned them about their comment in the story. The reporter, Mr. Griffin was told it was a priority, but didn’t care much about facts. The fact is it is a structurally deficient bridge and is scored among the state’s 5 most deficient. It is the state’s #1 bridge priority, and we’ve stated this for years. Of course the bridge is safe… now… but it is structurally deficient and needs to be replaced. We have 40 such structurally deficient bridges in Delaware, and all are scheduled for repairs/replacement. Only 1 is actually closed at this point.
CNN: 35 minutes detour without the bridge in place.
DelDOT Fact: The kind of comment that could only be made by someone who doesn’t live here. Without the bridge, it’s a 26 mile detour through twisting, winding narrow roads. I am not sure who could drive this detour in 35 minutes… I’d like to meet them.
CNN: “some erosion” is the comment made by Mr. Griffin as the problem with the current bridge. A grand oversimplification. The problem is called scour, and it is jeopardizing the piers in the water. Simply, the dirt around the piers is scouring away, leaving the piers exposed and vulnerable to collapse. There are scour holes as deep as 100 feet in areas near the piers. As it is now, large rocks, rip rap, were placed around each of the piers to prevent the scour from jeopardizing the piers. This is a temporary fix. The new bridge will not have piers in the water. If the Minnessota bridge collapse showed us anything, the time to replace a bridge is not when it collapses.

CNN should have taken more care in reporting the facts of this story. Instead, Mr. Griffin used excellent editing and selective facts to make a connection that is simply inaccurate and wrong.

By: eb scott

eb scott — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:36:08 +0000

Everyone of you who posted a comment have no clue!!! Dig deeper into the story of this new bridge the foundations for the bridge were built then the dirt was removed (all the dirt) all the original designs trashed then 3 designs created so we can chose, how nice of DELDOT. The have been trying to build the new bridge for at least 10 years the work started the construction company went under and the bridge sat partially finished for 2 years untouched and then they relized they screwed up hence removing the dirt for the foundations. All the money for the original contract lost, the original design lost, community meetings, studies, testing all a waste of time. The original cost of almost $50,000,000 has now turned into $150,000,000 a total clusterf#@k

By: w miller

w miller — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:18:21 +0000

Joe Bidens bridge does go somewhere It crosses Indian River Inlet and is the only coast road in that part of Delaware. According to DELDOT the foundations of the existing bridge (built by State of DE) have been scoured by the tides to the point where the bridge is in danger of collapse . And the few folks in De are paying for a major portion of the new construction so that our poor neighbors from DC can get from Rehoboth Beach/Bethany beach to fenwick Island/ Ocean City MD.

So whats so wrong with wanting some fed funds to reduce the cost to the folks of DE? Isnt that what DC politicians are for ? At least its not a cowboy museum or another useless naval base or surplus AF base.

By: James

James — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:10:06 +0000

Seriously? What’s wrong with this bridge? Nice try CNN. I get it, you want to appear balanced and Palin is looking a silly lately. However, there really is a difference between the two VP candidates and you can’t manufacture problems with Biden for the sake of creating a balance where one doesn’t exist. Sometimes, reality isn’t balanced.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:53:46 +0000

This news report really pisses me off.

I grew up in the area, I understand the traffic demands (rush hour in NYC is tame in comparison), and most importantly, I understand the geophysical issues surrounding that inlet. The tides force water through the inlet at a huge rate, and sand has eroded to depths exceeding 100 feet. The support pillars are being undercut significantly.

That bridge is dangerous. It’s only a matter of time before if collapses, most likely while under summer traffic weight load, meaning 100’s WILL die when it goes down.

$13 million to replace it? Best dern earmark we could buy.

By: DA in LA

DA in LA — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:46:12 +0000

Wow, pathetic. She lied, hence Biden making comments about it. Is Biden’s campaign built upon stopping earmarks? No, it’s not.

Embarrassing reporting.

By: Ashley

Ashley — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:29:05 +0000

As a native Delawarian (Bethany Beach), my family crosses the Indian River Inlet bridge frequently, and it is becoming dangerous to cross. It dips on one end, and some of the supports have come loose. Below it, the inlet waters rush in and out of the Atlantic with a current so dangerous it’s earned a reputation.

Barring the fact that the income generated from tourists fuels DE’s economy and supports local businesses, perhaps CNN might consider that people that live there don’t consider themselves living “nowhere”. Do they honestly think that if the bridge hasn’t collapsed or tragedy hasn’t struck yet they wouldn’t be asking “Where was the money to fix this bridge? This poor thriving community deserves better than that!”? Nowhere. Honestly. I fail to see how culture, museums, and looking after the safety of the citizens makes for bad leadership.

By: Hubes

Hubes — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 04:15:50 +0000

How is that a bridge to nowhere? If there is 30,000 people a day in the summer, that’s not a “bridge to nowhere.”

And how dare he get $1 million for a children’s museum… Hold on. Seriously, who thinks that’s a bad thing?

By: anon

anon — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 03:57:24 +0000

Why does he need ANOTHER bridge to nowhere? He voted for the first one, so did Obama.

By: Kurt Montandon

Kurt Montandon — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:24:35 +0000

Does it actually serve a purpose? Like, say, replacing a crumbling, existing, heavily-trafficked bridge? Yes.

Did he campaign on having opposed it, when he really supported it, in an outright lie? No.

But otherwise exactly the same.

By: ddue

ddue — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 22:44:46 +0000

Wow, that report was a stretch (with the exception of the New Orleans bridge). The bridge carries 30,000 a day during summer? That’s over 200,000 a week, or 400,000 in 2 weeks, which is more than the Ketickan ferry carries all year.

By: chenier

chenier — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:40:17 +0000

$342 million?

The guy’s just not trying, is he?