There are countless examples of gold-plated or excessive infrastructure projects — whether publicly or privately financed.

1717, Alexander Pope, “Eloisa to Abelard”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot,[…], published 1717, OCLC 43265629:

Anyone found travelling without a valid ticket will be issued with a standard fare of £100 which must be paid within 21 days. This charge will be reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.

No, it's wasting sickness, she added, as she turned round to the mother with a lofty air of conviction; it's wasting sickness!