Well, Barry, I took an Alaska Air flight into Ketchikan in a December blizzard. It doesn't look like the city has a whole lot of room for an airport. It's a small town of about 8,000 people, with scads of summer tourists. The only way to get there is by air or by boat. So, they built the airport on an island across from town, and get to the airport by boat. Not bad most of the year, but a killer during tourist season.
So, the bridge wasn't totally absurd. And what can you buy for $398 million nowadays, anyhow? A medium-sized shopping mall? Half a bomber?

-Joe-