U.S. taxpayers funding Microsoft campus bridge

With $20 billion in the bank, one would think that Microsoft could afford to build out its own campus. But in a sign of just how "porky" the U.S. federal stimulus bill has become, the city of Redmond, Wash., will be spending $11 million to build a bridge connecting two areas of Microsoft's Redmond campus, as Bloomberg reports.

That's right. One of the richest companies on the planet is using taxpayer money to fund a bridge that arguably benefits no one except its own employees (and visitors). Company spokesman Lou Gellos told Bloomberg that the 480-foot span "is a mobility improvement for the area as a whole" because a congested bridge nearby is not good for walking or bicycling.

Whether the use of stimulus spending toward corporate infrastructure is proper isn't a question of open source versus proprietary. It's a question of wise stewardship of taxpayer funds. Microsoft isn't short of cash. It can build its own bridge.

Yes, Microsoft will contribute roughly half of the total $36.5 million total building cost, but it seems incredible that the company isn't funding all of it, given its resources--and given that the project helps only Microsoft.

Follow me on Twitter at mjasay.

[ironsmithfe]

Incredible, we sure have lost our way. What happen to the democrats being anti big business? Seems like the dems and the repubs have switched roles on a few issues.

[myles taylor]

Whoa! I'm shocked. There are two companies (among others) that should not get any government money and those companies are Apple and Microsoft.

How in the world was this justified? Does Microsoft have that many lobbyists in Washington?

[msjonker]

Yeah, better that we give our money to such great companies as AIG, Citibank, etc. etc.

Microsoft is a multi-billion dollar company that pays huge taxes that you and I benefit from. I do not have a problem with funding a bridge that they will partially benefit from.

[dascha1]

If the bridge is anything like the one(s) that AOL built in Loudoun Co. I would be nervous about it. The AOL campus was (and still is physically) the largest 'creative' studios campus in the NOVA area. We don't have to talk about how many thousands lost their jobs there years ago. Though I'm curious what that expensive bridge and its connected buildings are being used for now.

[odubtaig]

MS pay taxes? Partially benefit?

[resident123]

Wow Matt talk about sensationalism and poor reporting! I am a resident of Redmond , WA and as others have mentioned this is public property, public streets, etc. The residents of Redmond have all benefited by the countless public projects funded by Microsoft tax dollars. And by the way the Redmond Fire station (paid for by Microsoft) is on the other side of the bridge so not only is this a matter of reducing traffic and pedistrian safety but is a matter of public safety. If you had done any investigation what so ever (try reading Seattle area news) you would know that the bridge over I-520 is part of a "multi-billion" dollar Microsoft expansion putting thousands of tax paying residents in the Seattle/Pugent Sound area to work. The previous improvements at this interchange used by thousands of drivers every day were also paid for by Microsoft. The next time I suggest you check your sources and tell the whole story something a high school journalist would have enough sense to do before going public. If this is your idea of Alfresco Biz Development you only succeeded at embarassing yeouself and your company.

[camman2003]

While I agree with the fact that this is a ridiculous use of taxpayer money, I love the sensationalism by waiting for the last line of the article to mention that MS will be paying a huge chunk of the bridge cost. Is the bridge entirely on land owned by Microsoft? Will it be for exclusive use only by Microsoft employees? Seems to me that only a bridge that fell under those classifications should be 100% funded by them.

[cb3431]

One would think those questions should have been answered in the article. Perhaps presenting all the facts got in the way of the goal of throwing Microsoft under the bus.

"Matt is vice president of business development at Alfresco, a company that develops open-source software for content management." Is Matt trying to serve his own interests?

[Vegaman_Dan]

The bridge is on public property spanning Highway 520, connecting NE 31st and 152nd Ave NE. By adding this bridge, it will elminate nearly 25,000 car trips per day from the main congested arterials in the area. Microsoft is not the only beneficiary of this as both the Group Health Eastside Hospital and Honeywell both have campuses at these locations as well on the same streets. Yes, it will help Microsoft with their own internal traffic issues, but they are by no means the only ones involved.

It is not a private road, bridge, or location. It is 100% all public.

[rlevitt]

I live in Redmond (I don't work for Microsoft though). I don't think that the article is fair. Most of Microsoft isn't in a "campus" but rather sprawled throughout a chunk of Redmond. The bridge will connect two PUBLIC roads. Yes, the majority of bridge users will be Microsoft Employees, but the bridge will help reduce traffic on other roads where the majority of users are NOT Microsoft employees.

[de1012]

Ditto this comment. I work (not for MS) very near where this bridge is going in. It's connecting two public roads and will relieve congestion from the other two overpasses to the north and south. While MS will be the primary beneficiary, they are not the only ones that will benefit. These articles are ridiculously sensationalist and very unfair to MS.

[eadeguzman]

Matt/CNET, care to respond to any these comments?

You have lost all the credibility you have left here on reporting on Microsoft.

Matt, if you can't back our statements, please pull the article out and never report on Microsoft again (for the benefit of those not reading user comments).

[ajmaonline]

What does this have to do with open source?

Can i ask how this is related to the business of OpenSource software? Do we need to see if Sun, Red Hat, etc. are getting any money from the stimulus?

[afboi120]

I used to work at Microsoft, and know for a fact that this bridge will benefit WAY more than just Microsoft employees and visitors. There are so many businesses around the MS campus... it'll be the easiest way for any driver to get across the freeway without having to go a ridiculous round-about way. I may sound biased, but I can assure you... I'm not.

[squished]

Mr. Asay writes "...a bridge that arguably benefits no one except its own employees (and visitors)"

I own a condo in Redmond and will surely benefit from this project. I used to work for Microsoft but no longer since I moved out of state and rent out my condo. My tenants stand to benefit since this presumably will reduce traffic in that area. I stand to benefit since it will make it easier to attract new tenants and perhaps raise my rent price in the future. Mr. Asay's opinion would appear biased given that his expertise in open source business and politics is historically at odds with Microsoft's business model. He even admits this is outside the domain of open source versus proprietary. This is opportunistic and sensationalist journalism.

[msjonker]

Maybe you'd be happier if Microsoft moved to India? Then they wouldn't be using any of your precious tax dollars... which are meant to do what again?

[Vegaman_Dan]

It might be prudent to mention that this is a city street and bridge being built by the city of Redmond. It is not private property and Microsoft can't build it- the city has to do that. Microsoft is kicking in a ton of money to help fund it, but they cannot legally pay for it entirely as it is a public property.

Gripe all you want about Microsoft benefiting from this, but it's the government's regulations that make this necessary. Microsoft couldn't pay for this project entirely even if they wanted to. Not with a city street.

Imagine the lawsuits that would be involved for favoritism, contract bid process failures and more if that were to happen. It would be a nightmare that would delay the actual bridge construction by years.

The other option, of course, is to just force the 25,000+ extra vehicle trips across the existing bridge to serve the new area and let the city eat the costs of maintaining that bridge entirely, not to mention the public safety issues involved with limited access during traffic for emergency services.

This is a good example of a story that is leaving out more than half the facts and as a result, people are reacting accordingly in ignorance.

[gp2792]

Matt, this is beneath you.

[jroon]

totally agree. journalism has fallen off a cliff here.

[dream_fly]

No, it's his norm. His goal is regardless whether it's news worthy...his picture has got to be on the list of pictures in the blog section, preferably at the top half. It will even be better to manufacture controversy so he will get more exposure.

Video Games have half-deads, news.com has half-news.

[pentest]

Matt,

You implied that the bridge was on MS grounds.

If the other posters here can be believed and all but one is credible, this is not a bad use of the money, as it helps the community at large, provides some temporary employment, and MS is helping to foot the bill. I am no brain-dead MS fan, but asking MS to pay for all of it would be unfair. They have contributed to its need(I bet other companies in the area have as well), and are contributing to its funding.

Not that you had any credibility to lose, but this is low-class, even for you. In your desire to "scoop" others, you have stepped in it yet again.

[KTLA_knew]

Wow, in this day and age, you'd think "journalists" (we use that term very liberally these days) would guess that at least a few readers might check up on to see if the story was just a blatant, self-serving deception.

But apparently, you'd be wrong, so we get to see a train wreck of a story like this!

[Mr. Dee]

Matt Assay - those Microsoft employee's in Redmond are US citizens who also pay taxes. Its attitudes like yours that will simply destroy Open Source and Linux - the garbage's of this industry. They do not add any value to this world except create a society of time wasters living in their parents basement. I am sure if the bridge was being built to Linus or Stallmans backyard it would be ok because its benefiting an open initiative to make there be more active Ubuntu and Open Office.org users.

CNET should with draw this article, its clearly an insult to a great Company that has indirectly created over 175,000 jobs around the world.

[nscnet]

I could be wrong... but this bridge isn't only for Microsoft's use, anyone should be able to use it. Though I haven't seen their campus.

So, unless this bridge is for STRICT Microsoft use ONLY, I have nothing against this at all.

[sgo7]

My my! Matt, you obviously haven't got all the facts. I don't live there anymore (thank God), but the more ways around the congestion have to be welcome news for all those who still do live there. For your information, any development that will have an adverse impact on the surrounding area must pay mitigation fees to help offset that impact. Usually in the form of traffic lights, sidewalks, streets, added police and fire protection, etc. No one person/entity should have to bare the full burden because many people benefit. Now go back to work, please.

[RatherBeSailing]

The bridge will be a city street over a congested state owned freeway. It does benefit Microsoft, but it also benefits everybody else.

Get your facts straight.

This bridge wasn't Microsoft's idea. It was conceived by traffic studies in the 1990s to benefit the entire area, not just Microsoft.

Thank goodness Microsoft is paying for more than half or a project that will put people to work right away. Otherwise the jobs would wait another decade.

Better to build it now when the construction sector is off by 20-30% from last year.

[softwaredesignengineer]

I can empathize with the sentiment. But I would rather have my taxes going to a company that knows how to run a business profitably and legally with a solid plan rather than those frauds which have seen so much of.

I would choose Microsoft's executives any day over AiG's and all those loonies that sunk this economy.