The Executive Director of the RI Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) called me last night to say that despite their promise to have the backup for their $330M maintenance plan posted, it had not happened.

"Hi, John, it's Buddy Croft calling, Turnpike and Bridge Authority," began the message on my voicemail at 4:30 last night. "There's a problem on this end with putting up the link for the Ten Year Plan. I apologize, it'll be up first thing in the morning, it's a, uh, it will be up tomorrow and that other information will be up tomorrow, but it's a technological problem from this end. Sorry. If you have any questions, give me a call."

I've always heard that once is circumstance, twice is coincidence. Three times? Can it be possible that people planning to spend three hundred million dollars on engineering projects can't post a PDF to a Web site?

Did you know, by the way, that RITBA apparently operates completely outside oversight of the General Assembly; indeed, if I read it right, of the state as well, whose only role is to appoint the directors, and then turn them loose to do as they will. Their power under their charter to make design decisions is extremely broad:

To determine, subject to the approval of the director of transportation, the location and the design standards of the Newport Bridge, the turnpike and any additional facility to be constructed;
— RIGL § 24-12-9(5)

And whatever they say they need to build, they have the right to set tolls as necessary to fund it:

Tolls shall not be subject to supervision or regulation by any commission, board, bureau or agency of the state or of any municipality or other political subdivision of the state.
— RIGL § 24-12-27

So these meetings in communities have been just so much political theater. We're completely boned.