"A Bridge To Somewhere"

Sitka’s O’Connell Bridge, connects Baranof Island and Sitka, to Japonski Island. Dedicated in 1972, the 1225 foot long bridge is the first cable-stayed girder-span bridge built in the United States. The principal venue on Japonski Island is the "Sitka Rocky Guitierrez Airport". There is a single runway, 6,500 feet that juts off Japonski Island as a paved causeway of sorts. The airport features a single terminal with a jetway that serves the sole jet service provider, Alaska Airlines. Interestingly, safety hazards include boulders from the causeway washing onto the runway during storms, high winds because of its exposed location, and large flocks of birds that live very close to the airport. Also located on Japonski Island are the: University of Alaska Southeastern, Indian Health Service Hospital, Mt. Edgecumbe High School, the port facilities and air station for US Coast Guard, and last but not least a beautifully designed community of ocean front future home lots, ranging in price from $264K to $607K. We liked it so much, Lesley wants to buy, and probably will when she wins the Lottery.

The point I would like to make is recently a proposal was made and funds were awarded to build a similar bridge in Ketchikan, Alaska. The need and opportunity is almost identical. Both communities utilize a nearby island to locate their airport; both airports were assessable only by a ferry. Available Real Estate in Ketchikan, like Sitka, is sparse and prices are high. Hundreds and thousands of cruse ship passengers visit both communities weekly. A description of the areas beauty would be best phrased by a poet, but one thing I am sure of, it’s real. Access to the island would be a developers dream and a new generations promise. My point, I don’t want to ever again hear "a bridge to nowhere".