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The aftermath of the Minneapolis I-35 highway bridge collapse crossed over into the political arena when a trial balloon was floated on capitol Hill about raising the federal gasoline tax by a nickel a gallon to pay for infrastructure repairs. When George Bush responded--"I would strongly urge Congress to examine how they set priorities"--ABC's David Wright (subscription required) explained that the President was referring to porkbarrel spending. Wright quoted engineers as estimating that annual spending to repair the nation's 70,000 structurally deficient bridges would total $9bn--yet $22bn is collected each years from the existing gasoline tax, before any hike. Some of that is already spent on repair "but billions of dollars also went to special projects in Congressional districts around the country." CBS' Bianca Solorzano reported on the same debate on Tuesday when she noted the new construction is more "politically popular" than fixing up old structures.
CBS' Wyatt Andrews introduced a different take on collapsing bridges--gephyrophobia. "After the Minneapolis collapse, it is only natural for drivers to approach a bridge with at least a second thought. But for drivers with a true bridge phobia, it is a lot more than a second thought; it is an overwhelming fear." Phobic motorists facing mid-span panic attacks use a crossing service, drivers without clammy hands who take over behind the wheel. The anti-vertigo service is available at the Tappen Zee over the Hudson River, the Bay Bridge over the Chesapeake, Del-Mem at the mouth of the Delaware River and the Mackinac on Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
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