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“This report provides both good news – we are seeing substantial savings on a number of ongoing projects – and disturbing news – the costs of building materials is simply through the roof, and along with inflation that is going to have a major impact on future projects” Governor Rell said. “However, the point is not only to give us a financial snapshot in time; the goal is also to help us budget for these vital projects ‘down the road.’ “Transportation is the key to our economic success, and the improvements we are making are expensive but essential,” the Governor said. “To make them effectively, especially in a time when the national economy is in a slump and state revenues are tightening, we need to have the most realistic picture possible of the costs, now and in the future. This report will have long-term implications for state bonding and transportation budgets for years to come.” The first part of the report shows some projects already under construction are coming in well under budget, particularly the acquisition of 300 new M8 rail cars for Metro-North’s New Haven Line. The project was originally estimated at 342 cars at $3 million per car; the actual contract was for 300 cars at approximately $2.3 million per car, meaning the contract was let for nearly $173 million less than originally expected. Improvements to Runway 6-24 at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, a project also being paid for entirely by the state, are also coming in under budget by nearly $2.75 million, while construction of a new bus maintenance facility in Hamden – to be paid for by a mix of state and federal funds – is under budget by about $13 million. However, other current projects are over budget, largely because of major increases in materials costs for asphalt, steel, concrete and other building essentials. DOT Commissioner Joseph Marie informed legislators in a memo last month that the price of steel, for example, has increased by 93.3 percent in the last year and a staggering 216 percent in the last five years. The increases have affected ongoing projects such as work on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge – also known as the “Q Bridge” – on Interstate 95 in New Haven and the U.S. Route 7 bypass in Brookfield. The second part of the report, dealing with capital projects currently in the design phase, is the most troubling, Governor Rell said. Several of the up-to-date cost estimates for those projects have increased as a result of accounting for inflation or because the scope of the project has been increased – for example, the original plan to replace only part of the Moses Wheeler Bridge in Stratford was changed to full replacement. Others have increased because of special add-ons, such as architectural components and design additions to the Q Bridge added at the request of the City of New Haven. The final segment of the report deals with major capital projects in the planning stages. Most of these projects have planning cost estimates but have not yet progressed to engineering cost estimates. Governor Rell ordered DOT to assemble the report after she and legislators expressed grave concerns about sizable increases in the cost estimate for a maintenance facility planned for the New Haven rail yard. The facility will be needed to keep the new M8 rail cars on the New Haven Line in top condition. The Governor has ordered an outside consultant to perform an analysis of the maintenance facility plan to determine whether any of the elements can be reduced or eliminated, thus trimming the overall cost. © Copyright by StamfordPlus.com. Some articles and pictures posted on our website, as indicated by their bylines, were submitted as press releases and do not necessarily reflect the position and opinion of StamfordPlus.com, Stamford Plus magazine, Canaiden LLC or any of its associated entities. Articles may have been edited for brevity and grammar. Related Articles: Pitney Bowes to host 2008 Business Solutions Forum at company world headquarters - Sep 18, 2008 - 4:18 PM Adult Gallery Talks and Outreach Programs at Westport Arts Center - Sep 18, 2008 - 7:23 AM Thomas B. Crowley Jr. to receive Mystic Seaport’s America and the Sea Award - Sep 16, 2008 - 6:47 AM Norwalk Hospital to hold Clinical Career Fair October 14 - Sep 12, 2008 - 10:16 AM Two new leases signed at High Ridge Park in Stamford - Sep 11, 2008 - 2:17 PM CURRENT HEADLINES: Top of Page
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