Oct 1, 2008 4:11 pm US/Pacific
The Scoop: Bridge To Nowhere II
R.E. Graswich
COMMENTARY (CBS13) ―
It's Sacramento's own bridge to nowhere; a six million dollar project across Interstate 80. I have the scoop on this foot bridge and the environmental laws that could put the cost far past the six million dollar mark.
You'd think building a foot bridge across Interstate 80 here in North Sacramento would be no big deal. Well, it's going to cost taxpayers more than $6 million, thanks to the legal requirements contained in this document. Cities have to follow environmental law, and it costs money, even for a foot bridge to nowhere.
The city wants to build the bridge in 2010, but before they can move one piece of dirt, they have to make sure they aren't distributing any hawks, raptors, white tailed kites, loggerhead shrikes, garter snakes or pond turtles. The law says they have to hire biologists.
And construction equipment can't emit visible smoke, can't kick up dust and has to run with silencers. And if they hit an Indian burial ground – they have to stop and hire a pathologist. This is all according to the state and federal law – all just for one little foot bridge that goes nowhere special. Any wonder cities like Sacramento are going broke?
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