Bridge to nowhere

1

A bridge to nowhere is a bridge where one or both ends are broken, incomplete, or unconnected to any roads. If it is an overpass or an interchange, the term overpass to nowhere or interchange to nowhere may be used respectively.

Origins

There are five main origins for these bridges:

Metaphoric use

The term "bridge to nowhere" may be used by political opponents to describe a bridge (or proposed bridge) that serves low-population areas at high cost, usually characterizing it as an instance of pork barrel spending. By extension, it may refer to any undertaking perceived as both pointless and costly.

Incomplete and damaged bridges

Argentina

Belgium

Bulgaria

Canada

China

Czech Republic

France

Germany

The colloquial name for a bridge to nowhere in Germany is "Soda-Brücke" (a pun on "so da" = "just there"). Many of the bridges were built in the 1970s as part of the Autobahn network, but the oil crisis and rising environmental consciousness slowed many highway extensions.

Honduras

Hong Kong

Hungary

India

Indonesia

Italy

Latvia

Nepal

New Zealand

Norway

Philippines

Poland

Romania

Russia

Slovakia

Spain

Taiwan

United Kingdom

United States

Bridges to unpopulated or low-population areas

Australia

Canada

Ireland

Malaysia

Malta

Russia

United States

Obsolete bridges and approaches

Canada

United Arab Emirates

United States

Bridges originally criticized as "a bridge to nowhere"

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