Even if the feds gave us the money to start it up, it would end up costing us more over the long run. Someone has to pay to maintain and operate the damn thing.
Oh, absolutely right--but remember, the primitives aren't cerebrally sophisticated enough to think about that.
Right now, the South Dakota and Colorado special interests want a new highway built between Rapid City in South Dakota, and Denver in Colorado. The proposed highway would go all the way through the western panhandle of Nebraska, and would have most of its mileage within Nebraska.
Despite that the federal government is willing to pay 85% of the costs of construction, Nebraska is fighting this tooth-and-nail.
It's all very good to build a highway.....but what then?
Nebraska would end up with the lion's share of the expenses for maintenance, enforcement, and ultimately repairs and improvements. South Dakota and Colorado would end up with all the commerce (money) rushing between Rapid City and Denver, and very little of the expense.
Nebraskans think quite reasonably that our gasoline taxes are already excessively high. Enough is enough.
