One of the latest controversies to hit the public airwaves is the proposed signage changes at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) which operates the Twin Cities Airport has proposed changing the highway signs leading to the airport from the current terminal names Lindbergh and Humphrey to “Terminal 1” and “Terminal 2” at an estimated cost of $2.2 million. These must be some of those fancy neon, flashing billboard signs, the kind they have in Las Vegas for that kind of dough.

When I first heard this story, showing my age just a bit, I thought of that seventy’s song —“Signs” with the lyrics, “Sign, sign, everywhere a sign; blocking up the scenery, breaking my mind. Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign.” So checking a little further I discovered there are more than 100 signs directing people to the airport. The proposed “wayfinding” project initiated by the MAC recommends changing 44 of those 100 signs to help people find the air terminal they are looking for. Is this going to add to confusion or reduce the confusion?

A better name for this project might be called “Bureaucrats Gone Wild.” Based on 144 actual complaint letters, three government agencies have spent hundreds of hours of staff time and untold dollars to determine how to direct clueless individuals to the correct terminal while traveling down the freeway at a high rate of speed.

My first question is, how many people have ever traveled to a major international airport and have from time to time either gotten lost or confused about which terminal to go to? The point is, no matter how many signs, or type of signs, or descriptions on signs, people are going to get confused and end up in the wrong place. It happens.

Number two, with all of the electronic communication devices available to mankind today, if any rational human being can’t determine which airline is at which terminal, they should take a cab to the airport.

In addition, the “wayfinding” project is proposing to list the airlines operating out of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 and to put this information on the signs. What happens when a new airline starts operating at a particular terminal or ceases operations in the Twin Cities? Oh yes, that’s right. What about an airline that changes its name? Each time this happens is the MAC going to spend thousands of dollars to change the signs?

The three blind mice in this game of what’s on the sign are the Federal Highway Agency which doesn’t want airlines listed on the precious federal highway signs, but because of the unusual two separate terminals has consented to the change. The second player is the less than brilliant Minnesota Department of Transportation, which will only allow the signs to read Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. How did they every think of those creative names? And finally, the nonelected members of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, that have been trying to solve this complex rubric for years.

My suggestion to all of these bureaucrats who want to spend over $2 million in public funds is to leave the signs alone, don’t change a thing. It’s like the old saying goes: Don’t just do something, sit there. That is the advice they should follow. And if travelers show up at the wrong terminal for their flight, then helpful staff can direct them to take the light rail line between the Lindbergh and Humphrey terminals.

The LRT line was specifically built to serve passengers moving between the two terminals at a cost to the taxpayers of over $140 million. The MAC lobbied to have the light rail line connect the two terminals and paid part of the cost to run a mile long tunnel under the Airport. The MAC wanted it; why not direct travelers to use it!

Drop the “wayfinding” project. It would save $2 million, boost light rail ridership — and not add to the confusion.

This column originally appeared in the St. Paul Legal Ledger Capitol Report.

Phil Krinkie is a former Republican state representative from Lino Lakes and the president of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota. The eight-term lawmaker chaired the House Tax Committee and two other House panels.