I’m writing to express the irritation and frustration that many La Plata County residents are feeling toward the Colorado Department of Transportation’s utter inability to admit even the slightest degree of remorse and culpability for its farcical squandering of our money to build the “Bridge to Nowhere.”

It is bad enough that CDOT proceeded with the project without having the requisite approvals in place; it is bad enough that the agency has spent $47 million on a bridge that potentially will sit there deteriorating for years before it is put to any reasonable use; it is bad enough that it may never connect to U.S. Highway 550, which is the primary utility for building the huge project. All of this is infuriating.

But, truly, the bitter frosting on the cake is the gall of the CDOT spokespeople who repeatedly and arrogantly attempt to portray the massive concrete lemon we paid for as some sort of success. Do they really believe that by spinning the truth over and over, people will come to believe CDOT’s inane version of things – rather than the evidence right in front of their own eyes?

For goodness sake, CDOT, show our residents some respect. The only ones you’re fooling are yourselves. Level with the community about the obvious realities and mistakes that have been made with this project, and you will begin the long process of re-establishing a reputation of integrity and efficiency (rather than dishonesty, ineffectiveness and inability to admit error).

Gregor Gardner

Durango