The Oregon Way!

We are told by the politicians that people are starving in the streets, their healthcare needs are not being met, crisis - Crisis - CRISIS! And so what do they do? In Oregon they build a bridge, of course! 

The Portland Trolley Bridge across the Willamette River is costing an estimated $135M. Not wanting to look like a piker, the State of Oregon wants to pay for a new bridge across the Columbia River all by itself (The Washington Legislature having killed their piece of the funding) and it is estimated at $450M. I am sure, sure that it will come in at that price if the project moves ahead. Finally, the City of Salem, with a resounding "Me too!" (albeit in a much smaller voice) wants $10M to build a pedestrian/bicycle bridge from downtown to Minto Island Park, on the theory apparently that transients need convenient ingress/egress from the homeless encampment that will surely spring up there as it has in Wallace Marine Park in West Salem. People starving? People dying? Build a bridge! Yup - that's the Oregon Way!