Perdido 03

Perdido 03

Thursday, December 23, 2010

MTA Way Over Budget On Big Projects

Want to know why the MTA has to keep raising subway fares?

Infighting and faulty oversight has pushed the MTA's big-ticket megaprojects nearly $2 billion over budget and up to five years behind schedule, a damning new report says.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's extension of the Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central Terminal may not be completed until April 2018, five years late, the report from MTA Inspector Barry Kluger found.

The LIRR link, the Second Ave. subway and the Fulton Transit Center projects, are a combined $1.93 billion over budget.

"The failure to complete megaprojects on time and within budget has raised serious concerns...and indicates a need for more effective oversight," the report said.

Kluger's probers say managers bicker with consultants and the responsibilities of an outside engineering firm were left unclear. The first leg of the Second Ave. subway project is expected to be completed in 2017, about five years late.

The Fulton Transit Center is about two years behind schedule and is slated for a 2014 finish.

Bloomberg doesn't have direct control over these projects, but the theme is very similar to the CityTime debacle, isn't it?

Millions over budget, seriously delayed projects, lack of effective oversight by authorities.

Between the CityTime mess and the MTA, you'd think politicians in this city and state would have better things to do than adamantly promote releasing Teacher Data Reports loaded with inaccurate information to the press.

But you'd be wrong.

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