In the latest news from the Holy City, the construction of the epic Chords Bridge, a soaring white cantilevered structure designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava spanning the entrance to the city, is going completely according to plan, budget and schedule. The project has earned high marks from observers for the transparency of its planning process and the safety of the construction itself. When the bridge is finished, a date not too far in the future, its grandeur will attract untold multitudes of sightseers to Jerusalem, a city until now mostly undistinguished as a tourist attraction.

April Fools'!

Yes, of course Jerusalemite is participating in the venerable April Fools' tradition. And savvy readers probably picked up on it immediately, because it is nigh-on inconceivable that a municipal project in our beloved city could be built on schedule. Or on a solid foundation:

Cracks were discovered Monday in the base of the [Chords Bridge], at the entrance to Jerusalem.

Army Radio reported faults in the welding of several of the iron bars which would likely lead to delays in the project and an increase in its cost. The municipality denies these claims.

...

The annual report at the end of 2007 by Jerusalem Comptroller Shlomit Rubin revealed that construction of the bridge was already costing more than three times its original budget, while the building project was running about four years behind schedule.

Fortunately, this shouldn't turn into a major issue, since the cracked supports of the bridge are meant to support the weight of the light rail, which if current municipal forecasts are correct will be finished one to two years after the arrival of the Messiah.