Oink, oink

President Bush signed the transportation bill today, and if you're really masochistic, you can read the whole thing over here, but my favorite part is the appropriation by bill sponsor Representative Don Young (AK) over here. To summarize:

(a) Designation- The Knik Arm bridge in Alaska to be planned, designed, and constructed pursuant to section 117 of title 23, United States Code, as high priority project number 2465 under section 1702 of this Act, is designated as `Don Young's Way'.

In case you didn't want to go look for section 1702, here's the relevant text: Planning, design, and construction of a bridge joining the Island of Gravina to the Community of Ketchikan.

The Island of Gravina has a population of approximately 50 people, and Ketchikan is a bustling community of 8,000. The cost of the bridge is going to be approximately $230 million. The icing on the cake is the fact Don Young is naming the damn thing after himself. Truly our tax dollars at work.