Bridge bill gets a bit better

I'm still a skeptic. But the bill the Kentucky House will soon consider to help pay for mega-projects such as the Brent Spence Bridge seems like a big improvement over the first iteration. (Click here for our most recent story.) Here's why I say that:

-- It sets up a statewide authority that could issue bonds and levy tolls instead of a local authority.

-- The authority couldn't privatize the roads and bridges.

-- Once costs are paid, tolls could be removed. Cynics should note there is precedent for this in Kentucky with former toll roads now offering toll-free driving.

Having said that, I still think it's too early to let the Feds off the hook to pay the lion's share of a core responsibility. As one respondent to my earlier post noted, the Constitution calls it "interstate commerce."