MnDOT's alternate reality

You know how George W. Bush never seems to think anything is going wrong? To hear him tell it, we're winning in Iraq, the economy is good, etc. Well, apparently that's a characteristic of all Republican administrations. Our very own Department of Transportation seems to think that our bridges are in great shape, despite the number which have been closed over the past year.

According to the Star Tribune, Congressman Jim Oberstar faults MnDOT "for using only 51 percent of its allotted bridge program dollars for bridges over the past five years -- a rate that ties it with Arizona for last (my emphasis)." In response, MnDOT had the audacity to claim that bridges were in great shape:

"Looking at one federal program does not capture our investment in bridges," said Abby McKenzie, director of investment management for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). "When you look at actual bridge conditions, we are one of the best in the nation."

Is McKenzie serious? How many other states have had bridges collapse lately? How many other states have shut down 3 major bridges because of safety concerns?

Thank god for our DFL legislature. While MnDOT seems content with the situation at hand, the DFL provided the funding needed to establish a $2.5 billion bridge repair program.

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