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The New Jersey Turnpike Authority paid a politically-connected contractor to build a $250,000 security fence around a South Jersey bridge identified as a terrorist target. Local officials said the issue was never discussed with them first and that the fence was wasteful. The NJTA refused to discuss details of the study that led to the fencing. Meanwhile, the public scoffed at the idea of the fencing, which they criticized as unsightly, wasteful and ineffective. One of our stories highlighted the project's flaws when a Press reporter found an open gate that fishermen said they used daily to get to a favorite spot under the targeted bridge. Public outrage over the project led the highway authority to remove the fence, but not before South Jersey lawmakers introduce legislation that would require the North Jersey based highway authority to include South Jersey representation.