Politico, a major blog about Capitol Hill, took notice of the Panama Canal expansion and published this post this week:
The promise of a Panama Canal expansion has spurred a flurry of legislative pleas and proposals.
Too bad it’s largely hype.
Improvements completed on the canal by 2014 will allow ships twice as big to reach the East Coast. In theory, this could reroute vessels that stop on the West Coast and send goods across the country.
Lawmakers have used the expansion to push along bills, beg for more funding and tout their role enhancing international trade. And the canal has turned into an unlikely catchphrase for an oft-ignored port industry.
But much stands in the way of that potential. Goods still will move faster across the country than through a full water route. The East Coast option may prove cheaper, but Panama has not said how much it will charge in tolls. And the Suez Canal already offers a venue for these larger ships.