Sunday, April 5, 2009

Dubious Stimulus Projects Not Limited to Shovel-Ready Interstate Highways

Dan Egan has an interesting story in the Sunday Journal Sentinel about a possible half-billion stimulus blowout in the Michigan UP.

Before we get all high and mighty about such questionable spending, and the "shovel-ready" formulas or definitions directing funds unfairly, let's remember that the first $97 million of Wisconsin's stimulus dough got earmarked for the North/South leg of I-94 before the ink on Barack Obama's signature barely dried.

So every state has its pet projects and inside tracks deciding many big winners.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What is wrong with the 94-S stretch? It seems to be in fine shape. They should've used that money to repave residential streets instead.

James Rowen said...

I agree. The N/S leg of I-94 does not have real congestion, yet a fourth lane is being added all the way from Milwaukee to the IL state line.

This is all about politics, not transportation analysis or needs.