Gotta love that bureaucracy

After all the money they've poured into the badly-needed expansion of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, our DOT officials have figured out a new way to shoot themselves in the foot:

An oversized expansion joint for a Tacoma bridge project made it more than 1,300 miles before being stopped at a weigh station on the Washington border because the Washington State Patrol said it's too heavy for its trailer.

State Department of Transportation officials looked for ways Friday to send the 73-foot expansion joint the final 300 miles to its destination to help complete the second span across the Tacoma Narrows. It has been sidelined on its custom-built trailer since Saturday at the Spokane Port of Entry on Interstate 90 just west of the Idaho border after tipping the scales at 330,000 pounds.

I really like the quote from the trucking company:

"We're open to suggestions," [owner Mike] Love said. "What I've told them is, 'We'll do this any way we can. If it's impossible then it's real easy; y'all can build the bridge in Idaho.'"

Another engineering marvel from the state government that brought you Galloping Gertie. Way to budget my taxes, guys.