- Gravina Island
Gravina Island is an island in the
Gravina Islands of theAlexander Archipelago in southeasternAlaska . It is convert|21|mi|km long and about convert|9.5|mi|km wide,GNIS|1422308|Gravina Island] , with a land area of convert|94.81|sqmi|km2. The island had a population of 50 persons at the 2000 census.The Spanish explorer
Jacinto Caamaño named the Gravina Islands group in 1792. [GNIS|1894587|Gravina Islands]George Vancouver applied the name to Gravina Island itself in 1793. The name honorsFederico Carlos Gravina y Nápoli .Ketchikan International Airport is located on Gravina Island across theTongass Narrows (1/2 mile) from Ketchikan and is reached by aferry service which takes between three and seven minutes and runs at least every half-hour.Proposed bridge
In August 2005 the
2005 Highway Bill provided for $223m to build theGravina Island Bridge between Gravina Island and nearbyKetchikan . The subsidies were negotiated by Alaska's Rep.Don Young . This bridge had been nicknamed "The Bridge to Nowhere" by its critics. However, in September 2007, GovernorSarah Palin , who had previously supported the project, canceled it while directing the state transportation department to find the most "fiscally responsible" alternative for access to the airport. The federal government transferred the funds to the state to use at their discretion for road projects. [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20908207/ Alaska ends plan for 'Bridge to Nowhere' - Politics - MSNBC.com ] ]References
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