(Feb. 3, 2012) - Senator Rand Paul’s office issued a press release reporting the Senator followed up last week’s site visit to the collapsed Highway 80 bridge with a phone call to Governor Beshear today.  The Senator assured the Governor that he would work to expedite the replacement of the Eggner’s Ferry Bridge.

In a course correction from his libertarian leanings, Sen. Paul said that while government needs to be smaller that “we cannot ignore infrastructure needs.”

Paul advocates using repatriated funds from overseas capital and from beautification projects that he considers frivolous to infrastructure and deficit reduction.

The offer to cut red tape is helpful; a big check for a new bridge would be even more helpful.  Paul stopped short of making any promises that federal funds will follow shortened red tape.

The bridge was still being inspected by Department of Transportation divers as of Thursday. Earlier in the week, the bridge appeared to be shifting, a sign that the damage was more extensive than originally thought.

The US Coast Guard is in charge of the investigation into the cause of the collision that brought over 300 feet of the bridge crashing down onto the deck of the Delta Mariner as it passed under last Thursday evening.