Yes, yes, yes, readers are correct. The Reuters article makes it clear there are no actual savings on the bridge to nowhere. The money now goes to a general grant to the state. And here I thought I was going to have to apologize to the Porkbusters people for this statement:
The porkbusters fight is fun now, but not since early cave men tried to train grizzly bears to give them tongue-baths has a project seemed more obviously doomed to end in disappointment. Expecting Congress — of either party — to give back pork which has already been approved and passed into law is like expecting crack whores to give refunds days after services have been rendered.