[WildTurkey]

The big problem is that much of the brige toll doesn't fund the bridge; it subsidizes mass transit. Nix that. If mass transit is such a benefit, let it pay for itself instead of enriching local developers and contractors.

Willie Green alert!

[Carry_Okie]

No kidding.

The real problem here is quantifying positive externalities associated with the benefits from a "pretty bridge" to determine if they are worth the money. They are real, accrue non-uniformly, and are hard to measure. The users of the bridge aren't only those who cross it. Tourism does produce real jobs, even for those who never walk across. As Redding grows, $20 million could be a very good deal.