It’s Washington’s own version of The Big Dig, but it’s much more secluded and (hopefully) isn’t filling up with water. It’s a multi-million dollar boondoggle that provides plenty of fodder for Congresscritters who wish to howl about federal spending. It’s the Capitol Visitor Center, which has been under construction since 2001, and has increased in cost from $265 million at that time to $573 million today—which isn’t too bad for a Federal project, right?

The Washington Times reports that Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Legislative Affairs ranking member Wayne Allard (R-CO) says the project will finally be completed by fall of 2008. The 580,000 square foot visitor center will be the gathering point for visitors to the Capitol complex, shifting the burden from the House and Senate office buildings. With up to 1,500 people an hour pouring into the complex, the Hill’s hallways sometimes resemble crowded stockyards during peak tourist months. The Center will also be a significant improvement to the security of the complex, which has, of course, been tightened significantly since September 11, 2001.

Photo showing current state of construction from the Architect of the Capitol